Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Hôtel des Postes de Chartres
Hôtel des Postes de Chartres
Rue du Général-Kœnig / boulevard Maurice-Viollette
Chartres, July 2002
“The Hôtel des Postes is a former Post Office located in Chartres, French department of Eure-et-Loir, at the corner of Boulevard Maurice-Viollette and Rue du Général-Koenig. The building now houses the ‘Apostrophe’ media library in Chartres. The architect of the building was Raoul Brandon, born in 1878 in the town of Lucé located on the western edge of Chartres. Its construction lasted five years, from 1923 to 1928. The mosaics are the work of Édouard Blin. The old murals adorning the room receiving the public were made in 1929 by Pierre Vaillant (1878-1939), son of Charles Émile Vaillant, architect of the department of Eure-et-Loir who had Raoul Brandon as a student. They represent three large harvest scenes from Beauce , as well as illustrations of monuments in the department, such as the castles of Frazé and Anet. These works were destroyed in the 1970s. The facades and roofs were listed as historical monuments in 1994. In 2007, after a complete renovation of the interior of the building by Paul Chemetov, the building received its new function as the media library of the city of Chartres. In 2016 the building received the ‘Patrimoine du XXe siècle’ label from the Ministry of Culture.” (Hôtel des Postes de Chartres, Wikipedia)
Monday, December 29, 2003
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Angel holding a sundial
Angel holding a sundial (copy)
South side of the south tower of west façade
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
Cloître Notre Dame
Chartres, July 2002
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Les Croisés
“Les Croisés” by Rachid Khimoune, 1992
Rue du Bois-Merrain
Chartres, July 2002
“Planted since 1992 at the intersection of Marceau, Bois-Merrain and Tonnellerie streets, Rachid Khimoune's three ‘Croisés’ (Crusaders), sometimes renamed ‘Les Samouraïs’ (The Samurai), are made of materials from the street, such as grilles and ornate manhole covers, molded in a foundry and assembled in the old way with bronze nails.” (Les ‘Croisés’, Ville de Chartres)
Friday, December 26, 2003
Le glaive brisé
Le glaive brisé (The broken sword) by Marcel Courbier, 1948
Homage to Jean Moulin
Boulevard de la Résistance
Chartres, July 2002
“Le Glaive brisé (The Broken Sword). That's the name given to the Jean Moulin memorial, which has stood since 1948 adjacent to the former prefecture building, now the residence of the prefects. A sword that can symbolize the Resistance, decapitated by the arrest on June 22, 1943, in Caluire, of the man entrusted by General de Gaulle to unify it. But one also thinks, subconsciously, of the razor blade he used to slit his own throat on the night of June 17-18, 1940, while he was still prefect of Eure-et-Loir.” (Le Glaive brisé, Le Point)
Thursday, December 25, 2003
The Ark and the Philistines
The Ark and the Philistines
North Porch
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
Cloître Notre Dame
Chartres, July 2002
“The Ark of the Covenant was returned by the Philistines to the Israelites. It was carried on a cart drawn by two kine. In the background stands an angel. On the side of the cart are the golden mice and emerods (hemorrhoids) made by the Philistines to appease God, since he had punished them with plagues of mice and hemorrhoids after they had captured the Ark. Note the cloud above the cart. Below is the inscription :ARCHA:CEDERIS Right- Ark in the Temple of Dagon (I Samuel 5) The Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines and placed in the temple of the idol Dagon (see figures below). The idol fell (at top of composition). Below is the inscription HIC.AMIC(?)ITVR.ARCHA:CEDERIS” (The Ark and the Philistines, University of Pittsburgh)
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Monday, December 22, 2003
L'Escargot Montorgueil
Restaurant “L'Escargot Montorgueil”
Rue Montorgueil
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“L'Escargot Montorgueil is a restaurant located at the corner of rue Mauconseil and rue Montorgueil at Nos. 38 and 40 of the latter, in the Les Halles district of the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Founded in 1832, it is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris. It has retained its 19th-century sign, its Second Empire style decor, and a ceiling painted by Georges Clairin in 1900, which came from Sarah Bernhardt's private mansion. It is a listed historical monument. This restaurant specializes in Burgundian cuisine and snail dishes, and its clientele has included Marcel Proust, Sarah Bernhardt, Sacha Guitry, Pablo Picasso, and Charlie Chaplin.” (L'Escargot Montorgueil, Wikipedia)
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Place du Louvre
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois is a Roman Catholic church in the First Arrondissement of Paris, situated at 2 Place du Louvre, directly across from the Louvre Palace. It was named for Germanus of Auxerre, the Bishop of Auxerre (378-448), who became a papal envoy and who met Saint Genevieve, the patron Saint of Paris, on his journeys. Genevieve is reputed to have converted the queen Clotilde and her husband, French King Clovis I to Christianity at the tomb of Saint Germain in Auxerre. The current church was built in the 13th century, with major modifications in the 15th and 16th centuries. From 1608 until 1806, it was the parish church for inhabitants of the Palace, and many notable artists and architects, who worked on the Palace, have their tombs in the church. Since the 2019 fire which badly damaged Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, the cathedral regular services have been held at Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois.” (Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, Wikipedia)
Friday, December 19, 2003
Interior of Saint-Germain
Interior of the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Place du Louvre
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Fontaine du Palmier
Fontaine du Palmier, 1808
Place du Châtelet
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Fontaine du Palmier (1806-1808) or Fontaine de la Victoire is a monumental fountain located in the Place du Châtelet, between the Théâtre du Châtelet and the Théâtre de la Ville, in the First Arrondissement of Paris. It was designed to provide fresh drinking water to the population of the neighborhood and to commemorate the victories of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the largest fountain built during Napoleon's reign still in existence. The closest métro station is Châtelet. Fountain du Palmier was one of a series of fifteen fountains commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to his minister of the Interior, Emmanuel Cretet. It was designed by the engineer François-Jean Bralle, who was in charge of the Paris fountains and water supply during the First Empire. It was finished in 1808. The column, modeled after a Roman triumphal column, takes its name from the sculpted palm leaves at the top, commemorating Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign. The bands of bronze on the column pay tribute to Napoleon's victories at the siege of Danzig (1807), the Battle of Ulm (1805), the Battle of Marengo (1800), the Battle of the Pyramids (1798), and the Battle of Lodi (1796). At the top of the column is a statue of Victory made of gilded bronze, carrying the laurels of victory. People sometimes mistake the statue of the woman representing victory for a bird. The statue is the work of the sculptor Louis-Simon Boizot. The present statue is a copy; the original is in the courtyard of the Carnavalet Museum of the history of Paris. Around the base of the column are four statues representing Vigilance, Justice, Strength and Prudence, also made by Boizot. The lower basin of the fountain, designed by architect Gabriel Davioud, was added to the fountain in 1858 during the reign of Emperor Louis Napoleon when the Place du Châtelet was expanded and the fountain moved to its center during the renovations of Baron Haussmann. At that time the base was also decorated with statues of Egyptian sphinxes spouting streams of water, sculpted by Henri Alfred Jacquemart.” (Fontaine du Palmier, Wikipedia)
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Chapelle de la Sorbonne
Chapelle de la Sorbonne (Sorbonne Chapel)
Place de la Sorbonne
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Chapel of Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne, also known as the Sorbonne Chapel, was the chapel for the Catholic students and faculty of the College of Sorbonne in Paris in the 18th century, then for the university faculties of Paris in the 20th century. It is located at 17 Rue de la Sorbonne in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It was commissioned in 1626 by Cardinal Richelieu whose tomb was placed there after his death in 1642. It is the only building remaining from the 17th century university. As of May 2025, the chapel is still closed to the public for major renovation.” (Sorbonne Chapel, Wikipedia)
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Oxalys
“Oxalys”
Rue Descartes
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“Rue Descartes is a street located on Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the Quartier de la Sorbonne of the 5th arrondissement of Paris. This street begins at Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève (Place Jacqueline-de-Romilly) and ends at Rue Thouin (formerly Rue de Fourcy and Rue des Fossés-Saint-Victor). It continues south as Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter, which explains the presence of numerous businesses such as pubs, shisha bars, Lebanese caterers, bar-restaurants, and bazaars. Because of the presence of these numerous activities, the street is very popular with tourists who like the ‘village’ aspect of the square formed by the intersection of Rue Descartes, Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève and Rue de l'École-Polytechnique.” (Rue Descartes, Wikipedia)
Monday, December 15, 2003
L’arbre bleu
“L’arbre bleu” (The Blue Tree) by Pierre Alechinsky
(Poem by French poet and writer Yves Bonnefoy)
Rue Descartes
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
| Passant, regarde ce grand arbre et à travers lui, il peut suffire.Car même déchiré, souillé, l’arbre des rues, c’est toute la nature, tout le ciel, l’oiseau s’y pose, le vent y bouge, le soleil y dit le même espoir malgréla mort. Philosophe, as-tu chance d’avoir arbre dans ta rue, tes pensées seront moins ardues, tes yeux plus libres, tes mains plus désireuses de moins de nuit. | (Passerby, look at this great tree and through it, that could be enough.For even torn up, sullied, the tree of the street is all of nature, all the heavens, the bird alights there, the wind moves there,the sun there expresses the same hope in spite of death. Philosopher, if you are lucky enough to have trees in your street, your thoughts will be less arduous, your eyes more free, your hands more desirous, at least at night.) |
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Le grand orgue
Le grand orgue (The Great Organ)
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Place Sainte-Geneviève
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“In 1636, the organ, built by Pierre Pescheur, was installed. When the organ was damaged by fire in 1760, it was rebuilt by Cliquot. Further work was carried out in 1863 by Cavaillé-Coll, and the present instrument is the work of further revision by Beuchet-Debierre in 1956. The case of the organ of the tribune was made beginning in 1633 by Jean Buron, and is the oldest and best-preserved original case in Paris. It is topped by sculpture of Christ surrounded by angels playing the kinnor, an ancient Hebrew variation of the lyre.” (Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Wikipedia)
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Chapelle de la Communion
Chapelle de la Communion (des Catéchismes)
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Place Sainte-Geneviève
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Chapel of Communion (also known as the Cloister Gallery or Chamber of Catechisms) adjoining the choir originally contained the remains of clerics of the church, and was known for that reason as the ‘Chapel of the Charnel House’. Late in the French Revolution, the bodies of Jean-Paul Marat, after he was killed by Charlotte Corday, and Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau (1795) were removed from the Panthéon, where they had been placed as revolutionary heroes, and kept in the chapel until they were later buried in ordinary graves. During the First World War, when Paris was being bombarded by German artillery outside the city, a group of twelve 17th-century stained glass windows, belonging to the Churches of Saint-Eustache, Paris; Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois and Saint-Merri were transferred to the chapel for their protection. Following the war, the windows remained there, and underwent restoration, funded by the City of Paris. Unlike most other Paris stained glass windows of that period, they are at eye level and can be examined up close.” (Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Wikipedia)
Friday, December 12, 2003
Jubé
Jubé (Rood Screen) by Antoine Beaucorps
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Place Sainte-Geneviève
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The most unusual feature of the church is the Jubé or Rood screen, created in about 1530, the only existing example in Paris. It is an elaborate sculptural screen which separates the nave from the choir. The screen was used as a platform to read the scripture to the ordinary parishioners. They were very common during the Middle Ages, but were largely abolished in the 17th and 18th centuries under a decree of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) which aimed at making the ceremonies in the choir more visible to the ordinary parishioners in the nave. The screen was designed by Antoine Beaucorps, and while its purpose is Gothic, its decoration is French Renaissance. It takes the form of an arched bridge facing the choir with three arcades. A tribune for readings occupies the center facing the nave. Two very elegant spiral stairways give access to the tribune from the sides. The decoration includes two statues of ‘Renommées’, or ‘Renowned ones’, based on classical Roman statues, holding olive branches and crowns.” (Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Wikipedia)
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Inside Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
The interior of the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Place Sainte-Geneviève
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Direction de l'Action sociale
Direction de l'Action sociale by Aymeric Zublena, 1992
Quai de la Rapée
Quartier des Quinze-Vingts, 12th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“A forecourt carved into the facade, two elevator shafts extending through the building to the roof, a monumental doorway, a 32m x 24m sliding glass and metal screen that can close the forecourt at will—the institution is explicitly symbolized here. The building is constructed of stainless steel and aluminum, and deliberately remains highly visible.” (Direction de l'Action Sociale, PSS-archi)
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Austerlitz Viaduct
Viaduc d'Austerlitz (Austerlitz Viaduct), 1904
Quai de la Rapée / Quai d'Austerlitz
Quartier de la Salpêtrière, 13th arrondissement
Paris, July 2006
“Due to restrictions posed by navigational traffic, it was implausible to place a pier in the middle of the river. Therefore, in 1903, engineer Louis Biette, with the help of Fulgence Bienvenüe, conceptualized a metallic bridge that crossed the river in a single span. It was designed by the architect Jean-Camille Formigé, who also designed the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, the greenhouses of Auteiul, and the park below the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur, and restored the Roman amphitheater in Arles and the Roman theater in Orange. .[1] Formigé decorated the steel arcs with marine-themed reliefs, including dolphins, seashells and seaweeds. Parts of the steel footings are etched with figures of the Parisian Coat of Arms, which symbolizes steadfastness.” (Viaduc d'Austerlitz, Wikipedia)
Monday, December 8, 2003
Bir-Hakeim
Bir-Hakeim metro station
Boulevard de Grenelle
Quartier de Grenelle, 15th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“Bir-Hakeim is an elevated station of the Paris Métro serving line 6 in the Boulevard de Grenelle in the 15th arrondissement. It is situated on the left bank of the Bir-Hakeim bridge over the Seine. The name of both the bridge and the station commemorates the World War II battle of Bir Hakeim. The station is above the RER C line; the station Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel is within walking distance.” (Bir-Hakeim, Wikipedia)
Sunday, December 7, 2003
Hommage à Nicolas Ledoux
“Hommage à Nicolas Ledoux” by Anne & Patrick Poirier, 1989
“Le Ponant” office building by Olivier Clement
Rue Leblanc
Quartier de Javel, 15th arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“Erected amidst mirrored buildings, Anne and Patrick Poirier's column ‘Homage to Nicolas Ledoux’ is reflected on the multiple panes of glass and appears to dislocate a second time. The polished steel shafts, in turn, reflect the modern decor of this new office complex designed by architect Olivier Clément Cacoub. The lopsided column by Anne and Patrick Poirier highlights the loss of tradition in the modern architecture of the 1980s. These ‘modern’ buildings already displayed outdated architecture even before their inauguration in 1989 by Jacques Chirac, then mayor of Paris. In 1990, ‘Urbanismes et Architecture’, a professional journal, cited the Ponant district as an urban disaster. In Toronto, Canada, there is a broken column quite similar to the one at Ponant. It is titled ‘Memory of the Future’ (1992). While Anne and Patrick Poirier give contradictory titles to very similar works, the artificial ruin ‘Homage to Nicolas Ledoux’ is not merely an echo of the past. It is as much an archaeology of the future as it is a trace of an ancient civilization; times intertwine. Like the past, the future is fragile and can vanish into chaos.” (Les fausses ruines d'Anne et Patrick Poirier au quartier du Ponant, archéologie du futur / archéologie du quotidien)
Saturday, December 6, 2003
Terrasse Lautréamont
Terrasse Lautréamont
Forum des Halles
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Terrasse Lautréamont is a public thoroughfare located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. It is located in the Les Halles area (Forum des Halles), at level +1 (first floor). The terrace starts at Porte Lescot and ends at Porte Rambuteau. It is named after Isidore Ducasse , known as the Count of Lautréamont (Montevideo, 1846 – Paris, 1870), a French writer. This road was created during the development of the Les Halles area. Provisionally named ‘voie J/1’, this public road received its current name by municipal decree ofAugust 26, 1985.” (Terrasse Lautréamont, Wikipedia)
Friday, December 5, 2003
Église Saint-Eustache
Église Saint-Eustache (Church of St. Eustache)
Impasse Saint-Eustache
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“The Church of St. Eustache, Paris (Église Saint-Eustache) is a church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The present building was built between 1532 and 1632. Situated near the site of Paris' medieval marketplace (Les Halles) and rue Montorgueil, Saint-Eustache exemplifies a mixture of multiple architectural styles: its structure is Flamboyant Gothic while its interior decoration and other details are Renaissance and classical.” (Saint-Eustache, Wikipedia)
Thursday, December 4, 2003
8,000 pipes
The great organ
Église Saint-Eustache (Church of St. Eustache)
Impasse Saint-Eustache
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“With nearly 8,000 pipes, the great organ, with 101 stops and 147 ranks of pipes, is one of the largest organs in France, competing for first place with the great organ of Notre Dame de Paris, with 115 stops and 156 ranks of pipes, and that of Saint Sulpice, with 102 stops and 135 ranks of pipes, and reaching first place with its size, 10 metres wide and 18 metres high. The organ, originally constructed by P.-A. Ducroquet, was powerful enough for the premiere of Hector Berlioz's titanic Te Deum to be performed at St-Eustache in 1855. It was later modified under the direction of Joseph Bonnet. The present organ of St. Eustache was designed by Jean-Louis Coignet under the direction of Titular Organist Jean Guillou and dates from 1989, when it was almost entirely rebuilt by Dutch firm van Den Heuvel, retaining a few ranks of pipes from the former organ and the wooden case, which is original. Each summer, organ concerts commemorate the premieres of Berlioz’s Te Deum and Liszt’s Christus here in 1886.” (Saint-Eustache, Wikipedia)
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Chaire de Baltard et Pyanet
Pulpit by Victor Baltard, sculpted by Victor Pyanet
Église Saint-Eustache (Church of St. Eustache)
Impasse Saint-Eustache
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
Le Mariage de la Vierge
Le Mariage de la Vierge, high relief by Henry de Triqueti
Chapelle Saints-Innocents
Église Saint-Eustache (Church of St. Eustache)
Impasse Saint-Eustache
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
“Baron Henri Joseph François de Triqueti (24 October 1803 – 11 May 1874), also spelt Henry de Triqueti, was a French sculptor and artist. Henri Joseph François de Triqueti was born in the Château du Perthuis in Conflans-sur-Loing, the son of Piedmontese industrialist and diplomat Baron Michel de Triqueti, a native of Annecy. In 1788, Michel Triquet was made a baron by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and the name changed to Triqueti. Triqueti's career started around 1830, when he turned to sculpture, and away from painting, which had been his chief preoccupation up to this point. Triqueti progressively assumed the position of one of the July Monarchy’s official sculptors, obtained the patronage of King Louis-Philippe. The bronze doors of the church of La Madeleine in Paris (1834–41), and the tomb effigy of Ferdinand-Philippe d’Orléans (1842) are the key works of the first period of his career, the ‘French’ phase (1831–48). With the fall of the July Monarchy in 1848, Triqueti redoubled his efforts in England, establishing links with prestigious patrons, chief among them the royal couple. His standing as an artist, his deep piety and extensive knowledge of Renaissance art endeared him to Prince Albert[citation needed]; his ‘English’ phase lasted from 1849 until his death.” (Henri de Triqueti, Wikipedia)
Monday, December 1, 2003
The nave and choir
The nave and choir
Église Saint-Eustache (Church of St. Eustache)
Impasse Saint-Eustache
Quartier des Halles, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002
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