I happened to look at some pictures from a year ago and at this time last year we were rounding Cape Horn below South America. It was cold and rainy but we went around twice. Today we wanted to visit two Paris Palais, the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais. Our bus route took us past Gare du Nord and then over to Gare St. Lazare where we changed to a bus that would take us right next to the two Palais. Unlike Cape Horn it was really sunny today, but just like Cape Horn it was cold and the wind made it colder. However we made reasonably good time and got off at our stop across the Champs Elysees from the Palais. We have not been in the Grand Palais for quit awhile, the last time was for an exhibition on Elizabeth Vigee-LeBrun. Before that the time we were in the area beneath the gigantic glass dome was for a world class antiques show. So today we thought how nice to see it again.
When we got there we oriented ourselves and walked to the main staircase entrance. It was blocked off and we then found out that there is now a “world’s largest indoor ice rink” in that space. It would cost us 24 euros each to go in, so there will be no pictures from under the glass dome this time. We continued along the front of the Palais and over to the Pont Alexandre III. It is a very famous bridge because of the magnificent guilding done to the sculptures that are on top of the bridge piers. They we freshly gilded last year for the Olympics and were sparkling in the sunshine today. There was also a really nice shot of the Tour Eiffel with the sun lighting one side quite brightly (see above). So we spent a few minutes looking up and down the Seine and then walked across the street to the Petit Palais. It is one of the City of Paris museums and is free and open to the public. Today in spite of the weather there was a
line out in front waiting to enter that went all the way down the stairs and trailed along the street for half the length of the building. But if you know your way around even just a little you enter by the door down below. It is primarily for disabilities and the aged, we walked right in. Again for the Olympics, the Petit Palais underwent a refurbishment and many of the exhibitions were reconstructed. Today our goal was to see the updated sculpture hall. But as frequently happens with us we got sidetracked. We ended up going through a new little gallery where were exhibited architectural drawings, models, and paintings relating to the various Mairies (town halls) for the
arrondissements and suburbs surrounding Paris. Primarily dating back to the end of the 19th century they were open competitions that very much like our WPA projects in the U.S. They were celebrating the everyday lives and values of the French people of that era. However when the competitions were completed the City of Paris took control of all the entries, both selected and non-selected models and created an archive. And most interestingly in many cases these are the only surviving examples of what was done. During the various wars many of the full scale sculptures were melted down and the bronze used for armaments. So we dawdled quite a bit in this gallery and really enjoyed seeing pictures of the various town halls that we recognized from our time here. It was enjoyable to see what murals, sculptures, and paintings were chosen and what is still surviving. I learned a new term today, ‘decollation’ it turns out to be a euphemism for beheading, I love it! Of course if you were drawn and quartered that would be the ultimate decollation.
Another part of the museum focuses on the Greek and Roman epochs in this area. It’s probably not widely known but there is still a Roman Amphitheater in Paris and thus there are many artifacts dating back to that era. This shallow bowl is highly incised and dates from before the 8th century B.C. More time away from why we visited today, but what the hell. We were getting ready to leave when I told Deb that I wanted to see a mural painted by Maurice Denis that is in one of the domes. So we went up stairs and ended up right in the sculpture hall. We’ll only look for a little while says we, but there were some really really nice sculptures. So an hour or so later we asked one of docents where we might find the elusive Denis mural? Oh she replied, “It’s in an area of the museum that is closed off right now”. Thus ended our visit to the Petit Palais.
We walked back to our bus stop to catch our bus up to Gare St. Lazare, it’s located on Champs Elysees. While waiting I got a chance to take a shot back up towards the Arc de Triomphe. Deb then notices that the trees decorated with lights were actually mimicking a glass of champagne being filled. They would be filled and there would be flickering like bubbles and the tops would turn white like fizz, then they would be drained and it would begin again. What an ingenious device to celebrate Christmas and New Years.
When we got back to the apartment we polished off the last of yesterday’s Christmas repast. Tomorrow being Saturday the flea market at Porte de Vanves in up and running so we’ll see if we can make it to that tomorrow.
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