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"Constance Smedley" Month
The Lyceum Club of Paris is hosting a “Constance Smedley” Month, organized to mark the dual anniversary of the 150th anniversary of the birth of our founder and the 120th anniversary of the Lyceum Club of Paris.
The 1908 Restrospective Exhibition of Women Artists
This programme began in the best possible way with Manon Le Breton’s (PhD in History of Art at “L’Ecole du Louvres”) fascinating lecture on the origins of our Club and the remarkable commitment of its members to gaining recognition for women artists from the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century including Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Mary Cassatt or Berthe Morizot to name the most well known. The story of the landmark 1908 retrospective exhibition of 69 prestigious female painters enabled us to appreciate the boldness and modern outlook of the women who built the Lyceum. It is a fascinating chapter of history that certainly deserves to be revisited in future programming. We can be proud of the legacy these visionary women have passed on to us.
The Gala Dinner at the Maison de l'Amérique Latine
That same sense of pride was evident during our Gala Evening, held in the salons and gardens of the Maison de l’Amérique latine. The presence of nearly 150 guests, from Paris, across France, and also from London, Basel, Brussels and the Netherlands, testified to the vitality and international reach of the wider Lyceum family. The many conversations and warm speeches highlighted the unique place that Paris holds within our international association. We were honoured to have the participation of Madeleine Van der Vlist, President of the IALC and of the Presidents of the three Clubs twinned with Paris, Mrs Rita Dieterle (Basel) Thérèse de Jambline (Brussels) and Lauriane Bradford (London).
To discover the atmosphere of this magnificent evening, and reconnect with the Opéra “Bel Canto” artists who so brilliantly entertained us, do not hesitate to view the photographs from the evening by clicking on the link here.
I invite you to discover the commemorative booklet produced for this anniversary, a valuable record of these celebrations.
Alpinism: from personal challenge to shared adventure
Our celebrations will continues with a highly inspiring talk by Jordane Liénard. An accomplished mountaineer and a woman deeply committed to social causes, she now dedicates her experience to supporting young graduates as well as some of the most vulnerable members of society. We could not dream of a better way to conclude this month of celebrations.
