Saturday on Quai Branly

Quay Branly runs along the left bank of the Seine, from the Pont de l'Alma to the Pont Bir Hakiem. It is a lovely but incredibly crowded walk at all times, because as well as the Musée de Quai Branly (fascinating anthropology, ethnology and ecology museum) the street borders the top of the Champ de Mars and leads to the Tour Eiffel. Since I wasn't going to the tower, I swam upstream against crowds who were!

(But of course I took a picture or two.)




Where I went was a new place to me - the Japanese cultural institute (Maison de la culture du Japon.) It is worth walking by just for the architecture (the building dates from 1966, and is a striking addition to the area.)

I was lucky enough to catch the last few days of an outstanding exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints, from the Manos Collection, whose home is a museum on the island of Corfu. Much more information here.
I know - it's all in French, but even the tiny pictures give some idea of the richness of the collection.

(M. Manos collected his prints in early 20th-century Paris, at the height of "Japonisme," the fascination with all things Japanese. The Utamaro prints in the show were worth a visit all on their own.)




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