VIEW OF ROOFS AND BACKS OF HOUSES of Paris 3 Works

Have any of my readers been to Paris, France?  I have not, so Vincent's paintings have taught me to take notice of rooftops.  There is a wealth of knowledge out there, just waiting to be tapped into.  Every thing we look at has a story worth knowing about.  Formal institutions of learning are not the only sources of knowledge.  All of us have access to books, libraries and bona fide sites on the world wide web.  I tell myself, if I can learn one thing new every day, then my day has been blessed.  The older I get, the more desperate I'm becoming to learn all that I can on this short one-time planetary visit.  If there's something I want to make, I'll make it.  Age brings with it a whole new deck of cards.  It's in our best interest to play these final hands using the wisdom we've acquired thus far.  

Funny part of life is how we can remember certain situations in our childhood.  Life was brand new, the only influence on us was parental.  At age five, we were heaved into the primary classroom, where the indoctrination began.  My mother had no idea that she had a free-thinker to raise.  Despite everything I was told and taught to believe and trust, deep down I never could and never did.  But, I played the game best I could.  The best part of growing up was being able to study and read and write and journal my way through the years up to now.  The other day I read the words:  "Consciousness is all there is."  Profound.

Am I afraid of growing older?  Absolutely.  I love reading mysteries, but this one is beyond believable.  Never could understand how A Creator could just toss us into a sea of sorrows and just let us flail about.  That's why over the centuries the intelligent people saved their thoughts to pass down to us.  Even the classic thinkers couldn't figure life out.  When we were kids, the nuns and priests taught us that if we died and didn't tell a mortal sin to a priest, we'd burn in the fires of hell for eternity.  We were also taught that babies that weren't baptized went to Limbo and never would see God.  My questions is:  whatever happened to Limbo?  Don't hear a word of it in this modern age.  The business of Purgatory never made sense to me either.  Living people would have to pay for indulgences to get people out of Purgatory.  

Forgive me if I've offended anyone's beliefs, that's not my intent.  My blog is my safe place to share what I think and believe.  No one knows the truth about anything.  All we can have is our opinion.  What forms our opinion?  Either the multitudes or a strong mind willing to challenge the norm.  Enuf for today. 

 

View of Roofs and Backs of Houses - 1886

Vincent Van Gogh once wrote, "I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things."

This painting reveals Vincent's preference for dark colors.  If you look closely, brighter colors are interspersed throughout.  He uses an elevated perspective to show a view of the roofs and back walls of the houses, allowing us to appreciate its geometry.  Take note of the architectural details and texture of construction materials.  Grey zinc roofs are one of the special features of Parisian architecture.  Nowhere else in the world do they exist on such a large scale, covering more than 80% of the roofs of Paris since the mid-19th century. 

 The zinc roof tops were installed across Paris during the city's massive redo during the 1800s.  Zinc was chosen because it was cheap, light, weather repellant and easy to install.

The grey zinc rooftops of Paris were an inspiration for Vincent's painting.

View of the Roofs of Paris - 1886

Note the Notre Dame Cathedral centerpieces in this painting.

View of Paris from Vincent's Room
in the Rue Lepic - 1887

Rue Lepic is a street in the former commune of Montmartre, famous for its artistic heritage.  It has a distinctive village atmosphere, with steep, winding, cobbled streets.  Today, Rue Lepic is home to boutiques and eateries.  Vincent resided on the fourth floor of number 54 from 1886 to 1888.  He commemorated his residence on Lepic with a portrait of the view from his bedroom.

Would you like to take an 8-minute Walk Up Rue Lepic, Paris on YouTube?  Click this link:

 https://www.youtube.com/watchv=OHTQtH7Ei-Y   🖌