Inspiring Women & Men |

Force & Fragility

Egon Schiele 1890-1918

“Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal”

Egon Schiele is one of my favorite artists and during the opening night at the marvelous Neue Galerie in New York you could walk over the heads. Just before coming back to Paris, I was privileged to have a private showing with my friend Beth and her husband. We wandered around the empty rooms and spent as much time as we wanted in front of every work…

For you, New Yorkers, the show is on until January 19, so hurry up!

Self Portrait

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January 13, 2015

I see things, wonderful things…

On 26 November 1922, Howard Carter peeked into Tutankhamun’s Tomb and glimpsed the pharoah’s treasure by candlelight. ‘Can you see anything?’ asked Lord Caernavon, ‘Yes, wonderful things’ Howard Carter famously replied…

This is exactly how I feel when entering René and Barbara Stoeltie’s elegant Gemini Art Gallery, just off the famous Place des Sablons, in Brussels. With an uncanny eye and faultless taste, René and Barbara offer something for every budget.

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January 11, 2015

Sex & Science in 18th Century France

The story of the “Divine Émilie” & Voltaire

Émilie du Châtelet

I am fascinated by women in history who were daring and unconventional. In 18th century France women were enormously restricted by class, position and convention. Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet (1706-1749) was a French mathematician, physicist, and author during the Age of Enlightenment. Her crowning academic achievement is considered to be her translation and commentary on Isaac Newton’s work Principia Mathematica, no less! Read the rest of this entry »

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January 8, 2015

If only we could have such teachers today…

“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst”.

Aristotle (Ἀριστοτέλης) 384–322 BC

You will find that I am a great lover of Aristotle, the Greek Philosopher, who was a pupil of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. Aristotelian philosophy is still very applicable to the modern world and holds great timeless wisdom. I find great solace in his observations…