FR25 CAE Beaux Arts Museum

Housed in a magnificent 19th-century building, Lille's Palais des Beaux-Arts is not only an architectural gem. It is also, outside Paris, the fine arts museum with the largest number of works on display in France. For the first stop, they were taken to see two paintings by Goya : “Time and the Old Women’’, and ‘The Young Ones’ that are a part of the Spanish section of the museum. Those two paintings are often displayed together and are satires that immerse us in the Spanish society of the early 19th century. The 1rst represents an aristocrat absorbed in reading a post – probably the statement of a pretender that she welcomes with amused satisfaction. Meanwhile, her servant holds a parasol above her and her little dog tries to get his attention, while in the background, poor washerwomen are busy scrubbing clothes in the river under a blazing sun. In her bubble, the young wealthy woman does not give a glance to others. A few years earlier, Goya painted an even more grating vanity : ‘Time and the Old Women’. The artist sketches 2 elderly women with cadaverous appearance. The 1st, an aristocrat dressed in a white silk and chiffon dress, crumbles under luxurious attire out of sync with her decrepitude: enormous diamond earrings frame her red eyes and hooked nose; her neckline exposes her withered skin with greenish hues. The 2nd, covered in black lace and red ribbons, is frightening with its skeletal nose and dark orbits, carved like those of a half-fleshed skull. After that, they were given a few questions to fill in about an exhibit about Giants. For the 20th anniversary of their recognition as intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, the Museum is dedicating an exhibition to the Giants (called ‘Reuze’, i.e. giant in Flemish), emblematic of the North of France and Belgium. The itinerary allowed students to discover their fabulous history through photographs, postcards, engravings, signs, boards, drawings and film.

Students reflect on how art and tradition express European diversity and shared values. The visit encourages them to appreciate both local heritage and the common cultural identity that unites Europe. They were able to learn more about the cultural importance of giants in France, and especially the oNrth of France. They could also look at paintings of different styles ant techniques, hence learning about various aspects of arts.