Finds

Brasserie du Théâtre Montansier

January 16, 2024 By Allison

This post is part of my series on Versailles, France.

After your visit to the Château de Versailles, you will likely feel famished. Intense tourism calls for a satisfying meal in a relaxed setting. A brief stroll from the Château, the Brasserie du Théâtre Montansier serves homemade food made with fresh products. A family-owned business, father-son team Stéphane and Dorian Platrier offer a warm welcome, exquisite food, and fair prices.

The restaurant serves traditional brasserie fare in an Art Deco setting: steak, sauerkraut, salmon, and tripe. My friend Stéphane and I began our lunch with champagne—pourquoi pas? I ordered snails, followed by the plat du jour: pork tenderloin served over pureed root vegetables. The generous portions left me full, and the red wine left me a little sleepy, but I stretched this pleasant lunch with crème brûlée, followed by an espresso.

My meal was top-notch, as was Stéphane’s company. I also appreciated the clean beauty of the space: mirrored walls, leather benches, and white table linens. Our lunch was refined without being stuffy. The service was attentive and unrushed. The Brasserie du Théâtre Montansier is a bonne adresse that’s not to be missed!

Brasserie du Théâtre Montansier
15 rue des Réservoirs
78000 Versailles
Open Wednesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner
Open Sunday for lunch
Reserve online

Allison’s Tips

For quick access to the Brasserie du Théâtre Montansier, exit the Château property through the gate closest to the Royal Chapel, the tallest building on the property, in the northwest corner of the Royal Courtyard. Take the rue des Réservoirs to the restaurant, a leisurely 5-10 minute walk.

As you make your way to the restaurant, take a moment to notice number 7 rue des Réservoirs. This building is known as l’Hôtel Pompadour and as l’Hôtel des Réservoirs. Constructed in 1752, Louis XV’s mistress Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764) received guests here. After her death, the Pompadour’s casket was transported to the residence and displayed for two days. From 1856-1922, it served as a high-end hotel and restaurant. It currently houses government offices.

As you approach the brasserie, you’ll pass the Théâtre Montansier at number 13. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinnette were present at its inauguration in 1777.

Inspirations

Ore restaurant

Madame de Pompadour.com

Versailles : côté ville, côté jardins, Alexandre Maral

Resting Bench

February 6, 2021 By Allison

“I am that living and fiery essence of the divine substance that glows in the beauty of the fields. I shine in the water, I burn in the sun and the moon and the stars.” –Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

The bancs-reposoirs (“resting benches”) of Alsace are sandstone memories of 19^th-century peasant life. Spaced about 2 kilometers apart on well-traveled ways, the benches provided a place of rest for farmers headed into town on market day. Women, who carried their goods in baskets on their heads, placed them on the lintel topping the structure. The resting benches were often shaded by linden trees.

Throughout Alsace, about 170 bancs-reposoirs remain, built in 1811 and 1854. Found along a windy road in Hilsenheim, France, this bench offered a moment of respite to people carrying a heavy load. Visiting it in the 21^st century, I try to imagine the trek to the next town and the weight of the wheat and bran the women carried on their heads. What emotional burdens weighed on them? What were their passions? Did they enjoy aspects of this work?

It goes without saying that there is a disparity in experience between 19^th-century Alsatian peasants and a 21^st-century college professor from across the ocean. Though as I trace my finger on the lichen covering the stone, I remember that time is fluid and that in this spot, the centuries touch. I sit on the same resting bench. The landscape I take in resembles the backdrop of their lives—neat fields, spring greens, unruly grasses in the ditch. They may have felt a similar May breeze on their skin. Stone, place, and air connect us.

This moment also reminds me that rest is essential. The world is currently burdened by a pandemic. After almost a year of living in crisis mode, we need to sit on our own figurative resting benches. Let us stop and catch our breath. Let us remember our fiery essences. Let us also be still and smile, seeing how we glow in the fields, shine in the water, and burn in the heavens.

La Petite Ceinture: The Path That Unlocked Paris, Luke Stanton

August 22, 2020 By Allison

petite ceinture 1 Could you ever imagine being able to circumnavigate the city of Paris much like the 16th century explorer Magellan circumnavigated the Earth? Back in the late 19th century, such a form of transportation was made possible through the construction of the Petite Ceinture during the era of the Second Empire in France. In English, it translates to “little belt”, a connotation which rather undersells the immense scope and importance that this railway network possessed.
Without it, the metro transportation system that serves millions of Parisians today may have never existed.

Throughout the 19th century, the Petite Ceinture provided a multitude of functions, whether it involved transporting capital, housing public transit, or even contributing to military defense by supplying goods to French soldiers. The 35-kilometer-long belt provided stops at 29 different stations and could complete a round trip in just under an hour and a half. The efficient layout of the tracks prevented interfering with traffic in the city, thus creating a separation between the urban and transportation industries of Paris.

Despite its closure to public transportation in the 1930s, some parts of the line continue to function today, whether it be near Victor Boulevard in the 15th arrondissement or the Porte de Clichy metro station in the 17th arrondissement. In addition, the northern section of the tracks are currently being used to transport trains between the major stations in North and East Paris. Only 21 kilometers of the Petite Ceinture remain, although traces of the railway are still present throughout different areas of Paris. If you adventure around Montrouge, for example, you may find yourself taking a stroll through the gardens when you discover air vents which used to belong to train tunnels. If you recall the name “Jardin de la dalle d’Ivry”, which translates to “Ivry slab garden”, you can probably guess that such places cover areas where the line used to run. In addition, tennis courts and housing projects make up a majority of the urbanisation projects that have taken place of the belt’s remains.

While the inevitable evolution of the metro system has overshadowed the legacy of the Petite Ceinture , there are still pieces of its history to be discovered throughout different areas of Paris. The railway network continues to leave its mark to this day, whether it be through old tracks or nature trails that take place on its former paths. One does not simply think of the Petite Ceinture as a more traditional mode of transportation without considering its layout as providing connectivity and cohesion to a city bounded by lights.

References
Bretelle, Bruno. «L’action d’une association : l’inventaire de la Petite Ceinture de Paris». Revue
d’histoire des chemins de fer , 40, 2009, pp. 91-107.

Enon, Claire. «La survie d’un délaissé urbain : la petite ceinture de Paris». Architecture,
aménagement de l’espace , 2017.

Photos
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petite_Ceinture#/media/Ficheiro:Paris_16e_Petite_Ceinture_prome
nade.jpg

World War II Bunker Preserved in Paris, Kore Severance

August 20, 2020 By Allison

bunker 1 Deep in the heart of Paris, under the Gare de l’Est exists a perfectly preserved relic from WWII. Tucked away behind a secret hatch on the platform rests a WWII bunker completely undisturbed by time and modernization. A set of tunnels was built under the train station to help transport luggage, but when the war began, it was transformed into a safe haven. The bunker was initially created by the French government but was unfinished before the German military took over France and occupied Paris in 1940. Both the French and German government had wanted to keep the trains at this station running because there are tracks that lead into Germany.

Within the solid concrete walls and armored door are the remains of equipment and furniture used during WWII as protection from a gas attack. Although, during WWII, gases were used less than during WWI and instead were replaced with air raid attacks. Historians do not believe the bunker could have survived an air raid attack, but thankfully these were not common in Paris. All of the machines and equipment are in perfect working condition and appear to be “new” from 1939.

As you first enter the double door that is armored against bullets and gas attacks, the cool 59°F air surrounds you. As you travel deeper into the bunker, you will find regulation rooms complete with desks and chairs, telephones, and timetables for 1930’s trains. There are not any food or dormitory spaces because the bunker was only meant to be utilized for 10 hours at a time. You can find control rooms and an engine room as well. There are a few bicycles connected to equipment, which were intended to be used to operate the air filtration system in the bunker if the electricity went out. Along the walls are some German inscriptions and bilingual plans, which is evidence of the German occupation and usage. Marie-Noëlle Polivo writes, « …chaque cheminot français avait derrière lui un homologue allemand. » In English, “[…each French railway worker had a German counterpart behind him.]” bunker 2

While there were other bunkers under train stations throughout Paris, most have been destroyed and dismantled. SNCF, the French national railway company, has promised to preserve this bunker however, only opening it during Heritage days and for other important events. Only 10 people are allowed in the bunker at one time and tickets sell out within minutes every year, as only around 220 people can go down inside the bunker each year. The tour guides worked hard with SNCF during 2019 to create tours that allow people to explore the bunker with virtual reality headsets.

References

https://immobilier.lefigaro.fr/article/sous-la-gare-de-l-est-un-bunker-preserve-depuis-80-ans_df8823ca-02bd-11e8-be42-2176aaed995f/

http://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/journees-du-patrimoine-a-paris-la-sncf-ouvre-le-bunker-secret-de-la-gare-de-l-est-19-09-2019-8155530.php

https://www.neverends.net/le-bunker-sous-la-gare-de-lest/#prettyPhoto

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wwii-bunker-under-gare-de-l-est

The Catacombs of Paris, Amelia Lorrey

August 18, 2020 By Allison

catacombs entrance The most macabre tourist attraction in Paris, the Catacombs, was initially a very practical solution to a serious 18th century sanitation problem. Cemeteries in Paris were overfull, so the remains needed to be moved to a separate, safer location underground. The skeletons were taken from many cemeteries around Paris, but primarily from les Saintes-Innocents, a very popular burial location for Parisians from the 12th to the 18th century.

The Catacombs are the final resting place for over six million Parisians throughout history. Beginning in 1785, remains were transferred to the Catacombs nightly for two years and sporadically for several years after that. The work of moving the remains had to be done at night, so that Parisians would not get upset and protest the removal of their deceased loved ones from their initial burial place. A priest accompanied the transfer of the bones and said a prayer for those who were being laid to rest once again. However, despite this care, the remains were dumped rather unceremoniously into the tunnels of the Catacombs.

It was not until Napoleon came to power that the bones were set up in the decorative way that they are today. Napoleon decided that the piles of Parisian bones sitting in tunnels beneath the city were not merely a practical sanitation solution but also a potential tourist attraction. Inspired by the famous catacombs in Rome, Napoleon appointed two men, Nicolas Frochot and Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury, to turn the Catacombs into a site worth touring. Thus, the bones were arranged artistically and the design of the tunnels chosen very intentionally to appeal to tourists’ more morbid curiosity. One famous example of this is the sign above an entrance to the ossuary which reads: “Arrète! C’est ici l’empire de la mort” (Stop! This here is the empire of death”). These sort of dramatic touches might seem to an uniformed tourist to be the sign of a dark and ancient place, but in reality, they were a 19th century way to aggrandize the Catacomb’s spooky allure. catacombs bones

We might think of the Catacombs as an example of the Romantic or macabre fascinations of earlier ages. However, it is more truthful to understand them, as they stand today, as an intentional tourist attraction—and a very effective one at that. Over 150 years later, tourists in Paris are still happy to shell out €14 for a chance to visit Frochot and Héricart de Thury’s strangely beautiful underground ossuary.

References
“Histoire Des Catacombes.” Paris Pittoresque, www.paris-pittoresque.com/monuments/33.htm.

Karmelek, Mary. “You (Posthumously) Light up My Life.” Scientific American Blog Network,
Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2011, blogs.scientificamerican.com/anecdotes-from-thearchive/
you-posthumously-light-up-my-life/.

“L’histoire Du Site.” Les Catacombes De Paris, catacombes.paris.fr/lhistoire/lhistoire-du-site#.

“The Unbelievable Story of the Paris Catacombs.” Walks of Italy Blog, 6 Feb. 2017,
www.walksofitaly.com/blog/paris/paris-catacombs.

La Grande Mosquée de Paris, Hannah Ely

August 14, 2020 By Allison

grande mosquee de paris This massive architectural wonder hides many secrets within its walls. Located in the Fifth Arondissement, the Mosque is constructed in the Moorish style, as seen by its arches, courtyards, intricate tiling, and lush gardens. The towering minaret reminds onlookers that the Parisian skyline boasts more than cathedral spires and the Eiffel tower. While impressive from the exterior, the true beauty of this structure lies within. The interior is linked by open-air courtyards surrounding a botanical garden and a bubbling fountain. La Grande Mosquée de Paris offers something for everyone: a school, library, restaurant, tearoom, prayer room, and bathhouse are all found within its walls. However, the Mosque’s worth extends beyond its physical features.

In the years following World War One, France wished to recognize the sacrifice of more than 100,000 French Muslims who lost their lives while fighting for the country. The Muslim Institute and its Mosque stand as a lasting symbol of Islamic culture and faith extending from Paris to the rest of Europe. It is designed to be not only a place of worship, but a haven for Muslims in need of aid. The relationship between the French government and the Muslim Institute serves as an important symbol for Franco-Muslim cooperation.

Undoubtedly, the Mosque as it stands today is the result of the efforts of many influential figures, but it benefited greatly from the vision and commitment of Si Kaddour Benghabrit. A man born in Algeria and granted citizenship in Morocco, Benghabrit worked tirelessly to forge Franco-Arabic ties through schools and as a diplomat and translator who proved to be invaluable to the French. Later in life, he worked to build the Mosque and the Institute from an idea into the structure it is today. From 1922 until 1945, Si Kaddour Benghabrit, in his capacity as founder and director, assured that it could be a place where Muslim students of Paris could interact with other Muslims. Additionally, under his guidance, La Grande Mosquée de Paris played an important role in offering protection to persecuted Jews during World War Two. Due to the Mosque’s location on La Bièvre (a waterway that extends throughout the city) and its extensive caves, the Mosque helped to save the lives of an estimated 1,700 people.

Today, La Grande Mosquée de Paris serves as an important cultural and religious site for Paris and beyond. As the French national identity struggles to incorporate Muslims and other minorities, the Mosque serves as a necessary reminder for the French public. The Mosque’s past and contemporary efforts demonstrate that, through compassion and the remembrance of history, France can reach past its divisions and create something as beautiful and powerful as La Grande Mosquée de Paris.

References

Grande Mosquée de Paris. (n.d.). Kaddour Ben Ghabrit. Retrieved 02 29, 2020, from Grande Mosquée de Paris Site Officiel: https://www.mosqueedeparis.net/linstitut-musulman/biographies/kaddour-ben-ghabrit/

La Grande Mosquée de Paris. (2020). Retrieved 03 02, 2020, from Paris Promeneurs: http://www.paris-promeneurs.com/Architecture-moderne/La-Grande-Mosquee-de-Paris

Les plus beaux lieux d’architecture mauresque à Paris. (2020). Retrieved 3 02, 2020, from Paris ZigZag: https://www.pariszigzag.fr/secret/lieux-insolites/les-plus-beaux-lieux-darchitecture-mauresque-a-paris

LPLT. (2008, 5 5). File: Patio grande mosquée de paris.jpg. Retrieved 3 9, 2020, from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patio_grande_mosquee_de_paris.jpg

La Sainte-Chapelle, Shanze Arshad

August 12, 2020 By Allison

la sainte chapelle

The beauty of the Sainte-Chapelle is unlike that of any other church in Europe. Commissioned during the reign of Louis IX, this monument took approximately six years to build with construction estimated to have finished around April 26, 1248. The chapel was originally built to house various artifacts from the Passion of Christ which included the Crown of Thorns. These artifacts were bought by Louis IX from Emperor Baudouin II of Constantinople, though not without paying a substantial amount of money. The relics were moved to Notre-Dame de Paris after the French Revolution, and were kept there until April 26, 2019 when a fire destroyed parts of the cathedral.

When looking at the exterior, the Sainte-Chapelle resembles any other chapel built in the gothic style. It is the interior that captures the attention of all its visitors. The Sainte-Chapelle is divided into two floors: the lower chapel and the upper chapel. The lower chapel was meant as a place of worship for the palace domestic staff and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The blue ceiling with gold accents immediately catches the attention of any onlookers. Though certainly beautiful in its own right, it pales in comparison to the upper chapel.

The upper chapel is best described as breathtaking. Light pours in through the stained glass windows from all directions. Pink hues dominate the upper chapel and blend with the light to create an even more aesthetically pleasing look. Visitors first notice the blend of colors, but closer examination reveals the details put into making the stained glass. Each panel on these massive stained glass windows represents a scene from the Bible. The colors and light make it so that there is a sense of cohesiveness within the details of the upper chapel, which is what makes this church so unique. Though the upper chapel was reserved only for the royal family and their court, it is now open to all visitors. The Centre des Monuments Nationaux has created an app that even allows visitors to discover the secrets of the stained glass windows. Simply by taking a picture of a particular panel, visitors can enrich their understanding of the Sainte-Chapelle.

References

“26 Avril 1248 Consécration De La Sainte-Chapelle.” 26 Avril 1248 – Conscration De La Sainte-Chapelle – Herodote.net, 16 Apr. 2019, www.herodote.net/26_avril_1248-evenement-12480426.php.

“Application : Percez Les Secrets Des Vitraux.” Centre Des Monuments Nationaux, Centre Des Monuments Nationaux , www.sainte-chapelle.fr/Actualites/Application-Percez-les-secrets-des-vitraux.

Croire. “La Sainte Chapelle.” Croire, La Croix Croire, 15 Apr. 2014, croire.la-croix.com/Definitions/Figures-spirituelles/Saint-Louis/La-Sainte-Chapelle.

“Sainte Chapelle De Paris : Gothique Rayonnant, Apogée De L’Art Médiéval.” Le Blog De Paris, 16 May 2011, parisii.fr/2011/05/sainte-chapelle/.

Image

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle#/media/File:La-Sainte-Chapelle-interior.jpg

La Rue Crémieux: The Great Escape, Caroline Lancaster

August 10, 2020 By Allison

In the 12th arrondissement of Paris exists a colorful and refreshing line of English styled cottages. This line of 35 residential and private houses is located on the famous Rue Crémieux; named after Jewish lawyer and advocate for human rights, Adolphe Crémieux. Avid users of social media are very familiar with this pastel painted street as it is known as, “Instagram’s most favorite street”. With one search, #RueCremieux will locate 31,000 images that have this hashtag. Proof, this enchanting stretch of houses has captured the attention of many and has served as the perfect backdrop for an Instagram post.

Before “la rue” opened in 1865, the Imperial Arenas rested here holding 1,500 seats and served as a place of entertainment during the Second Empire in the 1850s. This time of opposition towards the government left room for people needing a place for entertainment. The Imperial Arenas filled that space and served as a getaway or great escape. The historical background reveals a cultural transition; it was once an arena for entertainment and now a social media phenomenon. La Rue Crémieux attracted as much attention then as it does now, and it seems as though the cobblestone street was destined to be an escape from reality. Now, it is most attractive for its green, blue, purple, yellow, and pink houses but also for its ability to offer a release from the hustle of Paris. The colorful setting, cobblestone street, and well maintained greenery takes its visitors out of Paris and offers them a new perspective. One that is brighter, newer, and bolder. This stands in contrast to the rest of the city of Paris.

Can the tourists and bloggers be blamed for finding this utopia to be captivating and exceptional?

It can be assumed that the people who live in the charming houses lining the street are forgotten or dismissed. However, the residents are not going down without a fight. There has been a recent protest because the residents are entirely annoyed with the constant attention on their homes. One resident vocalized that the street should be closed on evenings, weekends, and during “magic hour,” the time of day when the sun starts to sink and light is just right. The efforts made to slow down blogger traffic might be useless considering the effect this street has already had on Instagram. A public street versus private housing is a concept and debate that social media has completely disregarded; but when something is this refreshing and beautiful is there anyone to blame?

References

https://frenchmoments.eu/rue-cremieux-paris/

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/a26746451/paris-rue-cremieux-pastel-street-ban-instagram-influencers/

Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris, Jacob Potter

August 8, 2020 By Allison

Nearly every tourist in Paris plans to visit the Louvre. The Louvre is seen as one of the quintessential French experiences, even though most of the art pieces it contains hail from other nations. Yet, when approaching the Louvre, tourists seem to be focused solely on the looming glass pyramid over the neatly cut treetops of the Jardin des Tuileries, completely missing the structure to their left. This imposing yet unassuming wing of the Louvre Palace houses le Musée des Arts Décoratifs, or MAD, one of the premier museums of Paris. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs is itself historical. Opening on May 29^th, 1905, MAD has seen two World Wars, the end of the Cold War, and the establishment of the European Union by the time it was renovated between 1996 to 2006.

Physically attached to the Louvre, MAD houses an impressive collection of art, objects, and furniture that rival its conjoined neighbor. According to the Figaro, the Louvre holds pieces recognized as the absolute best examples of fine art in the world while MAD houses art people would have actually owned and used. That does not mean that MAD’s collections are any less artistic. Rather, they are tangibly linked to France’s history and the lives of French people. Take the Soupière made by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot in Paris in 1819. It serves a functional purpose by holding soup before it is served, yet the beautifully crafted silver angels, swans, and ornaments turn the structural components of the Soupière into artistic design elements.

These collections are exhibited in five departments based on the time period of the objects. The first department features pieces from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in France, where authentic bedrooms, friezes, and altarpieces are re-created using objects from the collection. This department is followed by a collection of 17^th and 18^th century pieces, during the Ancien Régime. Within the 17^th and 18^th century displays, you will notice the proliferation of porcelain and the increasing ornateness of everyday objects in themed salons. The Ancien Régime section ends with the Revolution, starting a department of 19^th century pieces. Here, gold accents dazzle your eyes alongside powerful, opulent color schemes. chair

After entering the Republic era, the time ranges of the departments become more condensed. The first of these temporally condensed section features objects in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles of the early 20^th century, where human-made objects seek to imitate natural forms. These styles were heavily influential in France, and many of the pieces in this exhibit hail directly from various world’s fairs in the 1920s and 1930s. The fifth and final department houses contemporary or modern pieces and seeks to explore the very limit of modern design and fabrication. Many of the pieces in these final displays seek to blend aesthetics with increased functionality. The Bibliothèque des Chaises is a great example of this. This library of chairs is a repository of our modern attempt to make the sitting experience more comfortable, yet visually pleasing.

Within these five departments, the collections are further subdivided. Textiles, jewelry, paintings, toys, furniture, graphic arts, glassware, and advertisements can be found throughout all five departments, creating very diverse and holistic exhibitions. With these diverse collections, MAD aims to be as alive as its contemporary and modern department. Through exploring the history of everyday art, MAD seeks to follow the continuous breath of French taste from the middle ages to today. By exploring MAD’s dynamic exhibitions, you might just feel a hint of this breath, pushing you to design the next object for MAD’s modern department.

References

« Departments. » Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris : n. pag. Web. 2 March 2020. https://madparis.fr/francais/musees/musee-des-arts-decoratifs/collections/departements/

Fauteuil « Œuf 3317 » et repose-pied « 3127 ». By Arne Jacobsen – Photo by Jean Tholance, Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. https://madparis.fr/francais/musees/musee-des-arts-decoratifs/collections/departements /#&gid=1&pid=70

« Les 5 musées de mode à voir à Paris » Vogue 20 Février 2020 : n. pag. Web. 2 March 2020. https://www.vogue.fr/culture/article/5-musees-de-mode-a-voir-a-paris

Prat, Véronique. « Réouverture : le musée des Arts décoratifs retrace l’histoire du goût. » Le Figaro 4 Septembre 2006 : n. pag. Web. 2 March 2020. https://www.lefigaro.fr/lefigaromagazine/2006/09/04/01006-20060904ARTWWW90415-reouverture_le_musee_des_arts_decoratifs_retrace_l_histoire_du_got.php

Soupière. By Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot – Photo by Jean Tholance, Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. https://madparis.fr/francais/musees/musee-des-arts-decoratifs/collections/departements /#&gid=1&pid=39

Jean Michel Othoniel and La Rose du Louvre, Audrey Hey

August 6, 2020 By Allison

Tucked between white marble works of centuries past in the Louvre’s Cour Puget resides Jean Michel Othoniel’s La Rose du Louvre, a painting series that only just recently made its way into the historic halls of the Louvre’s permanent collection, in October 2019. Othoniel’s work was commissioned to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei’s Pyramid that stands at the entrance to the museum.

The old master Peter Paul Rubens served as Othoniel’s inspiration for the flower that he hoped would become a symbol of the heart of French artistic tradition. Rubens’ work Wedding of Marie de’ Medici to Henri IV provided the very floral motifs on which La Rose du Louvre is based. The abstract representation of a rose seen in each panel carries a dual symbolism for Othoniel. Floral imagery is often packed with symbolic potential, and Othoniel’s project taps into this meaning in an effort to illuminate the subtleties that flowers have to offer. The choice of the rose shows intentionality, as Othoniel associates “la reine des fleurs” with “le roi des musées.” Symbolic of the Louvre’s position of cultural power and explanatory of some of the stories held within the museum’s vast corners, La Rose du Louvre took very little time to transition between its first presentation on May 25, 2019 and its permanent induction some five months later. Visually, the work is also at home, as its black ink on gold leaf creates a pleasing aesthetic as the work is flanked by its sculptural neighbors. Othoniel expounded on the symbolism of flowers inherent in La Rose du Louvre with his accompanying text Herbier Merveilleux, or The Secret Language of Flowers. Owing to Othoniel’s artistic dedication to floral forms as well as the familiarity he gained with the Louvre while working as warden, the text is a guide to the intricate meanings found within the flowers of the Louvre.

Jean Michel Othoniel was born in 1964 in Saint Étienne. The Paris-based artist has worked extensively within a variety of mediums, from glass to drawing. Visible in the abstract flowers that comprise La Rose du Louvre is a distinctive style that has become the trademark of many of Othoniel’s works. Othoniel has found prior success in museum exhibitions as well as public spaces such as in his subway station transformation, Le Kiosque des Noctambules. His entry into the Louvre marks a further step in his artistic career, as well as a sign of the Louvre’s further, ongoing commitment to the contemporary art world and its inclusion within the museum.

References

Chan. “Jean-Michel Othoniel Decodes the Secret Language of Flowers in the Louvre’s Collections.” Wallpaper*, Wallpaper*, 21 June 2019, www.wallpaper.com/art/jean-michel-othoniel-louvre-museum-paris.

“La Rose Du Louvre, De Jean-Michel Othoniel Entre Dans Les Collections Du Musée Du Louvre.” Louvre, 3 Jan. 2020, presse.louvre.fr/emla-rose-du-louvre-embr-de-jean-michel-othonielbr-entre-dans-les-collections-du-musee-du-louvre/.

Uzik. “Biographie – Othoniel – Othoniel Studio.” Othoniel, 1 Jan. 2019, www.othoniel.fr/fr/othoniel/biographie.