Mme. Berrier's Jardin

Not to be outdone by Madame Widemann, Madame Berrier invited us to paint in her garden.  She had the advantage of having a day when the sun was shining; at Mme. Widemann's house it was drizzling nearly the entire morning.  Mme. Berrier took advantage of the fact and spent most of the morning out in the courtyard with us where she sat at a patio table with her companion, Pierre, and chatted with those close to her.

Madame Berrier's Jardin

Copyright © 2015, Scotti Vaccaro

from Tours de France,

sketchbook journal entry dated 7/14/04

In this particular instance, I was fascinated by the deep doorway of a barn-like building at the back of the garden and the huge millstone leaning against it.  There was a watering trough next to that which Madame Berrier had filled with soil and had planted asters.  Just about everywhere you gazed there were vines or espaliered trees against the buildings or there were pots filled with flowers.

Since I finished earlier than the others, I moved closer toward Mme. Berrier (Josette) so I could at least overhear the conversation.  While I sat there, I painted a clematis that was clinging to a trellis on the garage wall.

Madame Berrier's Garden - Clematis

Copyright © 2015, Scotti Vaccaro

from Tours de France,

sketchbook journal entry dated 7/14/04

Later, after we had all finished, Madame Berrier invited all of us into her salon where she gave details of various artpieces located on the walls and furniture tops.  It turned out that Mme. Berrier was once the mistress to one of France's foreign ministers and had lived in Paris, where she collected most of the pieces.