06/18/24 - If there is a city on the French coast on the Mediterranean Sea that bears the memory of Brigitte Bardot, it is Saint Tropez. And although a lot of time has passed since the 60s, when the actress walked the beaches, her myth persists. Today, over ninety years old, BB continues to live in the highest part of this French commune, almost as if making sure the glamour is revived every summer. 

The curiosity it provokes is such that every year an exhibition is organized with her as the protagonist. This year the Linda and Guy Pieters foundation displays a series of photos of the actress taken by Ghislain Dussart (France, 1924-1996), who was her personal friend and photographer for twenty years. This relationship allows us to see a BB at all times of day, working or in the privacy of her home, showing complete confidence in front of her friend's lens. 

The exhibition is like a story in which the protagonist is part of a period of time that is a record of both a time of glory of French cinema and the incipient interest in endangered species. Even so, BB appears timeless in her gestures, in her clothes and in her poses. Let us remember that in the middle of the 20th century, cameras were not an object available to everyone, however that did not prevent Brigitte Bardot from being the most photographed person of the post-war period, giving rise to the creation of the myth.

The Prado Museum, where taking photos is strictly prohibited, currently displays the recently restored and recovered “Ecce Homo” by Michelangelo Caravaggio (1571-1610), created between 1605 and 1609.

Thanks to the fact that its current owner lent it for 9 months, we have the possibility of admiring this painting that, for this short period, comes to light.

The restoration is of extreme quality, far from the ultra-varnished Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer or Girl with an Ermine by Leonardo Da Vinci. In this case, the incarnations of Christ stand out: his suggestively greenish face and the torso as the center of the piece and source of light. The head with the crown of thorns and the drops of blood on the face show the impeccable workmanship of the artist.

The figure on the left corresponds to Pilate, who shows his hands as if to say “I do not accuse this man, I leave the decision to the crowd.” The figure on the right, with his mouth open, who seems to incite the people, actually exclaims Ecce homo (“this is the man”).

Ecce homo, by Michelangelo Caravaggio (1605-1609)

Prado Museum