Q.
Who are those people trying to sneak in unseen? What on earth have they stuffed into that bulging, paint-streaked leather suitcase? And why is the front desk manager peeking out from the lobby bar and whispering into her phone?

Hotels are inherently fascinating to we curious/nosy people. Add in a shake of international glamour, and the pull is irresistible. I spy with my hotel eye. Night Manager Tom Hiddleston knows.

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How have visual artists celebrated the magic and mystery of high class hotel life?

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A.

Well, if there is one person who knows how to suss out hotel intrigue, it’s Eloise – as written by author Kay Thompson, and illustrated by Hilary Knight. Here’s a peek into her Plaza-based hijinks.

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What stories are visual artists weaving in their minds as they create their hotel-themed paintings? From which hotel vantage points did they get their most telling views?

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Claude Monet. Hôtel des roches noires. Trouville. 1870

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Henri Matisse. Window at Tangier. 1912

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Raoul Dufy. Window Opening on Nice. 1928

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Edward Hopper. Room in New York. 1932

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Edward Hopper. Hotel Lobby. 1943

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Edward Hopper. Hotel by a Railroad. 1952

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www.justcurious.ca

Header Art: Raoul Dufy. Hotel Sube. 1926