Episode 247 - The Lost and Rediscovered Stained Glass of Notre Dame

In 2020, a remarkable discovery was made in the gallery above the Notre Dame de Paris nave: long-lost stained glass panels dating from 1935. These fragments were sent to the Manufacture Vincent Petit for analysis, reigniting interest in a lesser-known chapter of the cathedral's history.

In the 1930s, stained glass artist Louis Baillet was tasked with selecting artists for Notre Dame's new stained glass windows. However, the project faced resistance. The 19th-century Viollet-le-Duc windows were criticized for being too pale and not aligning with the cathedral's Gothic aesthetic. Despite these challenges, twelve artists took on the project, funding much of it themselves in hopes of leaving a lasting mark on one of the world’s most iconic landmarks.

The artists exhibited their designs at the Pontifical Pavilion in 1937 to garner support, yet the Commission for Historical Monuments rejected them, citing design, proportion, and color inconsistencies. World War II further derailed the project, leaving much of the work incomplete.

While plans were initially made to replace Viollet-le-Duc’s windows in Notre Dame, including updates to its 13th-century Rose Windows, fragments remain today. Of the original twelve windows, only a few pieces, a complete rose window, and an almost-complete bay survive. Notably, Jacques Le Chevallier’s designs were among the few that were retained and reinstalled in 1965.

Not everyone agreed to replace the VLD windows. Gabriel Rupinich-Robert, Grand Inspector of Historical Monuments, believed they were in fine condition and did not require replacement. Similarly, Aléette de Maille, Vice President of La Sauvegarde de l’Art Français, opposed removing these unique art pieces.

Each artist brought their distinct style and vision to Notre Dame:

• Jean Hébert-Stevens initially created figures for Saint Loup & Saint Germain, which were later revised to Saint Radegonde & Saint Martin. His work was accepted but underwent color adjustments.

• Valentine Reyre: A key figure in 20th-century sacred art, her works included Saint Foy & Saint Martial.

• Louis Mazetier: Designed Saint Bernard and the Holy Ghost rose window.

• Father Marie-Alain Couturier: Depicted Saint Clotilde & Saint Germain.

• Paul Louzier: Created windows of Saint Francis de Sales & Saint Vianney, later modified to darker colors.

Following the devastating 2019 fire, all stained glass windows were found to be intact, aside from minor damage to the small rose windows due to heat. Restoration efforts began, focusing on cleaning, analyzing, and re-firing the glass using modern techniques. Of the twelve original artists, only works by Le Chevallier and Hébert-Stevens are known to exist today.

Le Chevallier’s family returned one of his windows to Notre Dame in 2013 to commemorate the cathedral’s 850th anniversary, later donating it to the Cité du Vitrail in Troyes. Additionally, crates of never-fired glass panels were discovered post-fire, offering a glimpse into these artists' incomplete vision.

In December 2023, President Emmanuel Macron and Archbishop Laurent Ulrich selected contemporary artist Claire Tabouret to design six new stained glass windows. Tabouret’s work, featuring watercolor-inspired designs with vibrant turquoise, yellow, and red hues, aims to pay homage to the Viollet-le-Duc windows.. The project will be executed by Simon-Marc, one of France’s oldest stained-glass workshops, with a budget of €4 million, funded by the Ministry of Culture.

The new windows of Claire Tabouret

This decision has sparked debate, particularly regarding the 1964 Venice Charter, which stipulates that original artworks integral to a monument should only be removed if it ensures their preservation. While some argue that the new designs will breathe fresh life into Notre Dame, others believe the historical VLD windows should be maintained and restored.

Notre Dame’s stained glass story involves artistic struggle, war-induced delays, and shifting cultural tastes. Whether through preservation or reinvention, these windows reflect the cathedral’s ongoing evolution—a testament to the artists who sought to leave their mark on one of the world’s most treasured landmarks.

Episode 246 - The Louvre’s Crisis and the Mona Lisa

On the eve of the highly anticipated *Louvre Couture* exhibit, a leaked letter dated January 13, 2025, from Louvre director Laurence des Cars to Minister of Culture Rachida Dati exposed alarming concerns about the museum’s deteriorating state. The letter detailed significant issues, including water damage, failing technical and security equipment, and malfunctioning elevators and escalators—symptoms of deeper structural neglect.

The urgency of these issues became evident in November 2023, when an exhibition dedicated to the drawings of Claude Gillot had to close just four days after opening due to a water leak in the Pavillon de Sully. More than a year later, the room remains unrepaired. Des Cars’ letter also highlighted the inadequacy of visitor facilities, including a shortage of restrooms, restaurants, and resting areas—problems exacerbated by the museum's surging attendance. Designed for four million visitors annually when I.M. Pei’s Pyramid entrance was inaugurated in 1989, the Louvre now welcomes nearly nine million guests each year, creating an overwhelming strain on infrastructure.

The Entrance Dilemma

Despite the common claim that the Louvre has only *one* entrance, alternatives exist, though they are inconsistent. The Carrousel entrance, once a well-kept secret, is now chaotic. The Richelieu entrance accommodates cardholders and large groups, while the Porte de Lions in the Denon Wing has remained closed with no set reopening date. On hot days, the Pyramid entrance turns into a greenhouse, exacerbating working conditions for staff and visitors alike—a problem only expected to worsen with climate change.

Strategic Timing of the Leak

The timing of the leaked letter was both strategic and opportune. With the successful restoration of Notre-Dame capturing global attention, Des Cars leveraged the momentum to bring focus to the Louvre’s plight. The leak on January 23, 2025, coincided with the quiet opening of the new exhibition the following morning. By midday, news spread that President Macron would visit the museum, and on January 28, he and Des Cars stood before the *Mona Lisa* to announce the *Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance* plan.

A Long-Awaited Solution for the Mona Lisa

While the announcement made headlines, discussions about the Mona Lisa’s relocation are not new. In April 2024, Des Cars confirmed that museum officials had been working on a permanent solution for the ever-growing Mona Lisa problem. However, the idea was initially proposed as early as 2022. Alongside plans to create a dedicated space for the painting, the director suggested reopening the eastern entrance overlooking Église Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois to ease congestion at the Pyramid.

The need for a new Mona Lisa space has been evident for decades. When the Grand Louvre project was conceived in the 1980s, the Louvre’s attendance was five million annually—half of today’s numbers. In 2016, another proposal was considered during renovations beneath the Pyramid, but financial and spatial constraints shelved the idea. Instead, an overhaul of the *Salle des États* was undertaken.

The issue resurfaced in 2019 during the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of his death. The *Mona Lisa* remained in her usual spot, albeit with a fresh Prussian blue backdrop. However, for a brief period from July to October, she was moved to the Richelieu Wing’s *Galerie Médicis*, home to Rubens’ *Marie de Médicis* cycle. The temporary relocation provided valuable insight: while the Richelieu Wing is modern, it lacks the capacity to handle tens of thousands of daily visitors efficiently. The Louvre orchestrated a highly structured visitor flow, turning off escalators to manage queues and counting precisely how many people came solely to see the painting.

The Mona Lisa: The Original Clickbait

The *Mona Lisa* has been an icon long before the internet era, but her room is frequently labeled as a disappointment—not due to the painting itself, but because of overcrowding and visitor behavior. A 2024 study by CouponBirds analyzed 18,176 visitor reviews and found that the *Mona Lisa* ranked as the most “overrated” artwork in the world, with 37.1% expressing disappointment. Crowds were the primary grievance, with visitors often focused on selfies rather than appreciating the painting. In second place? Delacroix’s *Liberty Leading the People*—a ranking sure to ruffle feathers.

The Louvre faces a paradox: the *Mona Lisa* is its greatest draw yet also its greatest burden. While removing the barriers in 2023 created a more open viewing space, it led to a chaotic mosh pit of visitors jostling for position. Staff struggle to manage the crowds, and time limits are often ignored in favor of elaborate photoshoots.

The Future: A New Home Under the Cour Carrée

The Louvre’s *Nouvelle Renaissance* proposes a 400-million-euro project to create a new home for the *Mona Lisa* beneath the *Cour Carrée*. Currently, only a third of this area is in use. Originally, plans for an additional inverted pyramid were scrapped in the 1980s when the excavation uncovered the 12th-century moat and fortress foundations of the medieval Louvre. These remains were integrated into the museum, leaving much of the space underutilized.

On February 4, 2025, the Louvre released a conceptual video showcasing what this new space might look like. A frequently misreported aspect of the plan is the notion that visitors will have to pay extra to see the *Mona Lisa*. In reality, a separate timed-entry ticket—similar to those used for the 2019 da Vinci exhibition or Orsay’s *Van Gogh* exhibit—will regulate access. Visitors wishing to see the *Mona Lisa* will enter through a dedicated back entrance, easing congestion at the Pyramid.

The Cost of the New Renaissance

A broader pricing change is also on the horizon. Starting in January 2026, non-EU visitors may face a higher ticket price of 30 euros. This increase will help fund the *Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance* project and other long-overdue renovations.

Episode 244 - The Summer Apartments of Anne of Austria Part 3

The next room in the series of the summer apartments of Anne of Austria on the ground floor of the Louvre is dedicated to the Paix des Pyrenees. The Vestibule de Paix marks the ending of the Franco-Spanish war that began in 1635 with the signing of the treaty on November 7, 1659, which included the marriage of her son, Louis XIV.  Of the 124 articles, no 105 - 124 were dedicated to the joining of France and Spain through the marriage of Louis XIV with the infanta of Spain, Marie-Therese of Austria, daughter of Philipe IV and niece of Anne of Austria, making her a double first cousin to the king. C’est normal, as they say. 

The idea made its way onto the ceiling of the vestibule, which opened onto the queen’s garden, which would later be named after another young princess. 

The center of the ceiling features Romanelli’s Allegory of the Pyrenees, also known as the Peace, Fruit of the War. In the center, three Roman gods represent the ideals of peace. Mars, on the left with a spear behind him and wearing a helmet topped with a dragon as the god of war and warriors, holds one side of the banner that reads the Fruits of Victory. In the center, Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, has an olive branch, although that was not her original offering. Romanelli originally painted her holding a lily, symbolizing the Bourbon family. During the Revolution, it was decreed to remove all reminders of the monarchy, including the fleur de lys, and the elements of the Louvre were not exempt, and every lily they could find was repainted or chiseled away.  

On the right, holding the other end of the banner, is Mercury, the messenger god. He has his caduceus in his other hand while wearing his signature winged sandals and helmet. Above the trio of guards are three genies holding a Bourbon crown, which survived the Revolution. 

The theme of peace continues in the paintings in the north and south cornices. On the north side, the Goddess of Abundance rests on her cornucopia and distributes the earth’s bounty. She looks toward the sea and Neptune, representing the maritime trade, holding his trident in his chariot pulled by seahorses.  

On the south cornice, Peace sets fire to a pile of armor and weapons and holds an olive branch in her other hand. Behind her is the allegory of history inscribing “of the war of peace” while soldiers are held captive next to her. 

On either side of the paintings are four stucco allegories by Michel Anguier, representing the great rivers of France. Looking towards the north, on the left, the Loire, with its long beard and oar with grape vines over its head, represents the region’s excellent wine. On the right, the Garonne of the SW of France, with pears and grapes beside him, is shown. 

On the south side, looking to the right, is the Rhone, who sits on a lion representing the city of Lyon and a cornucopia of fruits above. On the left, the easiest of the four to spot is the Seine, holding a boat representing Paris and an apple tree for Normandy. On the east and west sides are Angueir’s angels holding a seal with fleur de lys recreated after the Revolution. 

Under Napoleon in 1799, the Anne of Austria rooms were added to the Musée Napoleon to hold many items he “picked up” on his travels. A few of the apartments’ walls and doors were removed, making a lovely vista to the back end of the suite of rooms and the Laocoon statue taken from the Vatican. 

The opening of the rooms allowed the addition of eight very special columns. At the same time, Napoleon had lofty ideas about aligning himself with the great holy Roman emperor Charlemagne, who died in 814.  In 1798, on a visit to Aachen Cathedral in Germany, where the first emperor of France was buried, Napoleon took a few of the marble columns from the upper gallery. The forty columns Charlemagne had initially taken from the eglise Saint Gereon in Cologne would then make their way to Paris and into the Louvre. In 1815, after the fall of Napoleon, most of them were returned, except the eight that can be seen in the Vestibule of Peace. 

The fourth room was the queen’s grand cabinet, and the first of two rooms was her private oasis. Romanelli and Anguier continued their vision on the ceilings, which featured the ancient stories of Rome. 

In the center, Poetry and History Celebrating the Exploits of Rome, you may now recognize a few figures from the earlier ceilings. In the center 

History sits on the left and holds a book on her lap while looking towards Time in the lower part of the painting. In the center of the grouping, an allegory of Rome holds the orb of the world while Poetry looks up at her. Fame, with her trumpet, is ready to announce Rome’s greatness. Finally, Rome is being crowned by the Genius of Glory. The beautiful blue sky surrounding the ceiling gives it a lightness that ties in all the stories below. 

Four paintings within the cornice give us a deeper look into Roman history. Starting on the west side, the Abduction of the Sabines tells the story of a scene from the 8th century BC Rome. Romulus was worried that the population of Rome was stalled and decided they needed more women.  Visiting the nearby towns, the Roman soldiers pleaded with the leaders for the women to be allowed to marry them, but every city turned down the offer. So what did the Romans do? They threw a party dedicated to Neptune and invited all the local townspeople. Romulus would give a signal, and at that moment, his soldiers knew to grab all the Sabine women.  A popular theme told through many paintings and sculptures and often titled the Rape of the Sabines, which means kidnapping, not assault. 

On the east wall, the Continence of Scipio occurred in the 3rd century BC during Scipio's campaign in Spain during the Second Punic War. Scipio Africanus, a powerful Roman general, also had a way with the ladies and often had them delivered to him. Scipio refused to accept a ransom for a young female prisoner when he learned that she was already engaged to another man. He immediately summoned her fiancé and her parents and happily returned her to them. Romanelli shows the young woman in blue behind Scipio with her father and fiancé kneeling in appreciation for her release. 

The north and south paintings are more miniature but just as impactful. In the north, we see former politician Lucius Cincinnatus leaning on his shovel. Serving from 460 BC, he decided to retire and live out his life on his farm. Two senators visited him one day, brought his robe, and asked him to return to lead the state. He agreed, returned, and quickly defeated the enemy in sixteen days. He then stepped down and returned to his farm. 

Above the south wall, Mucius Scaevola places his hand on the fire before the Etruscan king. In a tale from the 6th century BC, the young Mucius snuck into a camp to kill Porsena, King of the Etruscans. He came across two men dressed the same, and he chose the wrong one and destroyed the scribe. Captured, he declared he was a Roman man, unafraid of anything, and placed his left hand in the fire. Amazed by his bravery, he was released. 

Anguier stucco sculptures of warriors and young women hold up medallions in each corner, representing more episodes of Roman history, including the Innocence of the Vestal Tuccia, the Devotion of Curtius throwing himself into Chasa for the Salvation of the Romans, Romulus, and Remus. 

Episod 238 - Notre Dame de Paris the Northern Chapels

Over the last eight centuries, the chapels of Notre Dame have been christened with a new name with each restoration. Chosen by the Diocese and led by Bishop Ulrich, the new layout of Notre Dame includes a path through the key figures of the Old Testament.

Announced in November, seven new tapestries incorporating the new theme of the Old Testament have been ordered for the North chapels. Bishop Ulrich chose two artists, Mallorcan Miquel Barceló and English but Kenyan-born Michael Armitage. 

Barceló, born in 1957, is an abstract artist who incorporates light and unusual materials into his work. His work has been seen in the Louvre in 2022 at the Still Life exhibit. Armitage, born in 1984 in Kenya, incorporates his upbringing with traditional Kenyan patterns into his art. 

Each artist will create a cartoon, which the extraordinary weavers will use to bring the tapestries to life. Each piece will incorporate a Bible verse from its designated chapel and be woven by one of three manufacturers: the national workshops of the Gobelins and Beauvais and the private Aubusson. It will take five to six years to complete all seven. 

Life of the Virgin tapestries Gobelins and Beauvais 1638-1657  14 large tapestries that once hung in Notre Dame and commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu and Michel Le Masle, his steward and later canon and cantor of Notre Dame in 1629. After the vow of Louis XIII and the building of a new altar, the idea of a gift of the tapestries tells the life of the virgin. Originally it was 4 then it grew to 14 and took 20 years to complete. 

Three artists, Philippe de Champaigne, Jacque Stella, and Charles Poerson designed the cartoons. Robert de Cotte, architect to Lous XIV, sold them to the Strasbourg Cathedral, and are on display during the Christmas Advent season. 

The many government buildings of France open to the public once a year on the third weekend of September. I first visited the Manufacture des Gobelins in the 13th arrondissement in 2018, and  I still think about all the fantastic things I saw—the Gobelins date back to the 15th century to Jehan Gobelins, who dyed wool for weaving outside of Paris. Later, his son purchased a property on the edge of Paris. In 1662, under the orders of Louis XIV,  Colbert purchased the property and expanded the facility to include goldsmiths, cabinetmakers, casting foundries, upholsters, and engravers.  Today, the Gobelins are a part of the Mobilers Nationale, which houses the official furniture used in government buildings and a few of the most historic pieces in French history. 

A visit includes a walk through the” fish bowl,” a large room filled with huge looms and natural light used to weave tapestries and rugs. But the most impressive thing is the rooms filled with yarn in every color under the sun to match pieces dating back to the 14th century. On this special weekend, these amazing craftsmen and women are on hand to display their craft and watch firsthand how they weave or repair these pieces. 

Following the fire of Notre Dame, a forgotten piece of history was discovered rolled up and pushed away in a large box under some benches. It was a grand carpet that lay in the choir to baptize a prince. 
At the Gobelins, the carpet was unrolled, dried, frozen, and deprived of oxygen to kill insects. They were pleased to see the carpet was in very good shape except for a few dark spots. Named the Drap d'Or (cloth of gold), the carpet dates back to 1825 when King Charles X had it commissioned to be placed in the church when he was in attendance for mass. Created from the cartoons of Jacques Louis de Saint-Ange, the carpet went through a few changes before it was ever finished. 

Saint-Ange design included a white cross with the French coat of arms in the center, the monogram of Charles X. Fleur-de-Lis, and the necklace of the order of St Michel and the Holy Spirit encircled the coat of arms. Golden vines with grapes wind around the cornucopias with a neo-classical reliquary on the lower portion. Around a large candlestick are miters, other church attributes, and the symbols of the four evangelists. At the top, an eagle of St John, the angel of St Matthews, the Lion of St Marc, and the Ox of St Luke

On July 7, 2022, the carpet restoration by a highly skilled group of masters began. The natural light streams into the large room with looms and massive windows, and they work for endless hours on each detail of the treasured carpet. The carpet weighs over a thousand pounds, and a dozen men need to lift and shift it just a few more inches. Luckily, the carpet was in fantastic shape after the fire. However, at one point, the lower portion was glued to the canvas with fish skin adhesive in the 19th century and hardened, making it impossible to get a needle through, but it should be finished by the start of 2025. 

Until the new tapestries were finished, the Gobelins, Beauvais, and Aubusson created an exceptional loan of six tapestries to Notre Dame to fill the northern chapels. 

Two tapestries by Henri Matisse are high above the first chapel dedicated to Noah and the Creation. Matisse began creating pieces from paper cut-outs in 1941. Inspired by his time in Tahiti, he made the Diptyque Polynesia, the Sky, in 1946. The Beauvais manufacturer created the first woven tapestry in 1964, ten years after Matisse’s death. Since then, four more versions have been crafted, including the 1971 version hanging in Notre Dame.

The second chapel is dedicated to Abraham and the theme of blessing. The tapestries of painter Pierre Buraglio of The Oak of Mamré with Giotto & Au Rex continue the bright blue theme with a touch of spring green. Buraglio was born in 1939 and creates pieces by cutting up his paintings and those of his relatives for new compositions to triangles. 

In Au Rex, the long, skinny pieces of eight blue envelopes were torn to create the image. In the center, the artist purchased Oak of Mamré with Giotto in 1999—the watercolor and pencil canvas of a single tree against a blue sky. The three pieces were woven by the Beauvais workshop between 1992 and 2019. 

The tapestry by Franco-Chinese artist Zao Wou-Ki is found in the second chapel, Moses and the theme of Freedom. Composition 1982 is woven with twenty-one colors and took five years to create. Wou-Ki was born in China in 1920 and moved to Paris in 1948, where he lived in Montparnasse. He became friends with Pierre Solange and Nicolas de Stael. His work includes contemporary pieces as well as portraits. The sea of dark blue in this tapestry is beautiful in person. 

The fourth chapel was named for Isaiah and the dedication of service. Stepping away from the blue theme for the first time is the stunning Shroud no 2 by Mario Prassinos. Born in Constantinople in 1916, Mario’s family fled to France in 1922. From 1974 to 1975, Prassinos explored the theme of the Shroud of Christ. The Beauvais purchased Shroud no 2 in 1986, two years after his death, and from 1987 to 1990, crafted this large tapestry out of cotton and wool. I loved this one, although each one is stunning in its own way. 

The fifth chapel is dedicated to David, King & poet, and the theme of Prayer. The tapestry found here was created by Dom Robert, a Benedictine monk and artist. Born Guy de Chaunac-Lanzac in 1907, he became an ordained priest in 1937. A chance meeting with artist Jean Lureat encouraged him to explore the art of tapestry, which we should be very happy about. 

In Laudes, Dom Robert uses seedlings to represent the morning Monastic prayer. The colors are quite different from any other tapestries featured in Notre Dame. The added butterflies give it a touch of golden colors and whimsy. A museum dedicated to Dom Robert’s tapestries can be visited in Sorèze and is now high on my list, 

The last tapestry is in the Chapel of Solomon and is dedicated to Wisdom. We started the chapels with the well-known Matisse and ended with Georges Braque. Matisse heavily influenced Braque, who focused on tapestries in the last two years of his life. Composition l’Oiseau was woven in 1968, five years after Bracque’s death. 

The temporary tapestries will remain in Notre Dame until at least 2030 

Episode 232 - Notre Dame with Four Weeks to Go

Yesterday marked just four weeks until we returned inside the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris. The doors will open, and we will cross through the Portail du Judgment Dernier. Once again, we will look up and take in every amazing detail the cathedral has to offer. 

For the last 2,037 days, we have clung to every bit of news from the restoration site. Over the last few years, I have witnessed the smallest changes, from the cleaned pinnacles to the largest, with the reappearance of her spire. With each update, the past five years quickly become a memory, and it feels like her silhouette has always reached out to the sky. 

On November 15, the Notre Dame of the Pillar will arrive at Notre Dame after her week-long trip across France. For the past few years, she has been safely tucked away in Saint Germain l’Auxerrois next to the Louvre, where the Crown of Thorns occasionally occasionally appeared. 

While the US celebrates Thanksgiving, we in Paris will give thanks to the march of paintings, sculptures, and new furniture back inside the cathedral. 

Labeled the Renaissance of Notre Dame, a beautiful way to describe it, it has also involved over 2,000 craftsmen and women from 250 companies working on every single millimeter of the 860-year-old cathedral. 

Many of the changes can easily be seen. The entire roof and spire have returned to give us the familiar silhouette, and much of the scaffolding has been removed. All that remains is what moves the workers to the roof and the surrounding upper chevet. 

All mechanical and state-of-the-art fire systems have been installed. 

April 9, 2023

The Grande organ is tuned and ready, but the smaller choir organ must be rebuilt as it was destroyed in the fire. 

The towers will reopen to those who want to climb to the top after December 8 with a new route up the south tower. Two new landings have been added to help you catch your breath. The first landing will also have a history display of the cathedral and the key dates it has been a witness to.  The exit down the north tower will also have a new book shop, which, thank goodness, isn’t on the way up. The towers were completed in 1250, almost a hundred years after the church's building began. During the night of the fire it was the north tower that held the turning point on saving the Cathedral or watching it fall into ruins

The eight bells of the north tower were removed, cleaned, and tuned, and for the first time in over five years, they rang out once again at 10:30 a.m. on November 7. They will ring a few more times before the opening to ensure everything is working. 

When we return in just four weeks, it will mark a new key date in the cathedral's life. However, the work will be far from finished. 

October 22, 2024

While the interior is finished, the exterior of Notre Dame and the surrounding area will have three to four more years of work. With the roof structure in place, it is now time to return the ornamental objects to their perch. The lower part of the spire, the open work, still needs to be covered in lead. The scaffolding surrounding the spire reached through the roof to the altar floor and was removed over the summer to reinstall the marble steps and flooring. 

Now that the roof is in place, the scaffolding will once again crawl up the crevices of the transept, allowing the ornamental roofers to attach the preformed lead decorative pieces. When this is finished, the sixteen statues created under Viollet-le-Duc will finally rest atop the roof to watch over Paris once again. I can’t wait for that day! This should all be happening at the start of 2025. 

On each of the four sides of the transept are the clocks, which also control the bells placed on the roof and ring out on the hour each day. On Friday, November 8, the three new bells were displayed, two of which were struck by gold medal winners during the Olympics. Beginning in the next few weeks, they will be placed on the roof and ring out at each hour of the day. 

October 23, 2024

Every week, we hear inspiring stories from the people and companies working on bringing  Notre Dame back to us. Le Bras Fréres, a construction company that has been a part of the project since the morning after the fire. They quickly created large hangers at their workshop in Lorraine to fit under each buttress to hold up the cathedral. Twenty-eight were created, each weighing ten tons, 

The buttresses play a very important part in the structure of a Gothic cathedral. Each distributes the weight to give the building its light and airy look. This also means that if even one were to fall, the entire church would be in jeopardy. 

In yet one more giant ray of hope, they recently began to remove them. Beginning on the south side of the nave, they will slowly be removed one by one from the south to the north side by early 2025. Work will continue on the back part of the church, the cheat, and the buttresses at the beginning of the year. 

October 27, 2024

Of the 860 million euros donated to restore the church, a bit more than 140 million euros are still left, which will be used to pay for any continued work. 

When the portable office structures are finally removed, the City of Paris will then step in and have a major plan to develop the area surrounding the church. A large reception area for the public with cafes, restrooms, meeting spots for groups, and a bookstore will be built under the forecourt in the old parking lot. Complete with windows out to the Seine. Above ground, 160 trees will be added, and a park will be extended along the south side of the cathedral. Incorporating the existing park will stretch to the eastern end of the island. I can’t wait for the day we once again get to sit under the bushy pink cherry blossoms. 

Image from the City of Paris

Information on the opening weekend of Notre Dame de Paris is slowly being announced. 

The first weekend of December will be the 3rd Opening Ceremony of the Year in Paris and by far the greatest of them all. 

On December 7, a mass with the archbishop and church officials will follow a ceremonial key exchange from President Macron. There is currently a battle taking place between the Catholic Church, which is voicing its concern that they do not need the key exchange. However, it is actually the French government, not the Catholic Church, that owns the famed cathedral, so here we are. 

The opening on December 7 is by invitation only and will be under the highest security. 

The date of December 8 was specifically chosen as it is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which will be marked with multiple masses throughout the day. 

All visitors will need a timed ticket. This ticket should be free, but this could change if the Minister of Culture gets her way. Tickets will only be available a day in advance and ONLY through the official Notre Dame website. 

I will have details as soon as they are announced. 

Inside, the visitor route has changed with entry through the center's Last Judgment door and to Northside, Ally of the Promise, and chapels renamed for seven important figures of the Old Testament.  

South will be the Alle of Pentecost, named after the Saints of Paris and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit: St Joseph, Thomas of Aquinas, Clothilde, Vincent de Paul, Denis, and Genevieve. The opening will also launch a new app with walking routes, history, and information. Fifteen million people are expected to visit in the first year, that is more than the Louvre sees, so pack your patience and prepare to wait to gain entry, but I promise it will be well worth the wait; hey, we have waited five years and eight months, whats a few more hours. 

Episode 231 - Martha Gelhorn

Martha Gelhorn was born in St. Louis in 1908 to two parents who wanted much more for their daughter than the role women were to play at the time. Her father, George, was a doctor, and her mother, Edna, was politically active in the suffrage movement and served as Bryn Mawr's president. 

Her father pulled her out of school as soon as he learned the nuns had covered the pictures of female anatomy in health class and took her to the Mary Institute, where her mother was the president. It was also the school of another young girl who had been there a few years before, Hadley Richardson. 

At just 8 years old, her mother took her to the Democratic Party Suffrage rally in 1916 in St. Louis, giving her a very early view of the rights women should have. After attending Bryn Mawr for one year, she decided to leave and chase her career as a writer. In 1930, she would travel to Paris with a backpack and $50. Even in 1930 Paris, it was hard to find an inexpensive place to stay, and she came across a brothel where she could stay for a few francs. 

Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, think of the times Eat Pray Love inspired people to pack up and head to Europe. With a copy in her backpack, she found a cheap place to stay and a job at the United Press as a foreign correspondent and also for Vogue. While in the city of love, she would later meet Bertrand de Jouvenal. Jouvenal had also been Colette's stepson and, later, her lover for five years. Some historians say Martha had married Bertrand, but in her own biography, she doesn’t say they did.  

Martha was not content to stay in one place too long. She became one of the first female war correspondents after traveling the US documenting the Depression for President Roosevelt. Never one to shy away from conflict, she was able to bring the stories in a way nobody else did. Gelhorn would find the real story and tell it from a raw and sympathetic point of view that touched her readers. 

Her outspoken nature got her in trouble in one job after another. While working for Roosevelt, she supported and encouraged angry FERA workers in Idaho to lash back at their horrible boss and encouraged them to break the office windows. Roosevelt fired her. She didn’t care. 

In 1936, after her father died, Martha, her mother, and her brother decided to spend Christmas in Key West. She was a fan of Hemingway’s writing, even had a picture of him hanging in her apartment at one time, and knew where to go to find him. They walked into the Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, still there today, and found Hem sitting at the bar. A popular recounting says she walked in, wearing a tight fighting black dress and her blond hair catching everyone’s attention. She did get attention, but it wasn’t so dramatic. 

He was immediately interested in her; she was unlike any of the women in his life. She was also a writer and war correspondent, her career, and marched to her drum. It is exactly what would split them apart. It was a friendship at first, and the seasoned writer supported and influenced her. Once she took off for Spain to cover the Civil War, he quickly followed, and their affair began. Pauline was back in Key West, and now another woman was doing exactly what she had done to Hadley. 

As one of the very first female war correspondents, she traveled to Germain in 1938 to see the rise of Hitler and to know what was to come. Gelhorn traveled wherever the story was, Czechoslovakia, Singapore, Russia, Finland, Burma, and Hong Kong, chasing the next story and reporting on it in a way no other writer did at the time, with love and empathy. 

In May 1939, Martha went to Cuba to write and she found the home that would be tied to him for the rest of his life. The Finca Vigia was rundown and in disrepair but she saw the potential, even though he hated it at first. He would spend his mornings writing and afternoons drinking, and she rarely sat still, always leaving to chase wars. 

On November 21, 1940, shortly after his divorce from Pauline was finalized, the two married in a small room in Wyoming. As a honeymoon, the two traveled to China, but he wasn’t happy about it. Hem was used to his wives catering to him and doing what he wanted; that was never going to be Martha. He didn’t understand why she didn’t want to be a wife and stay at home. 

Becoming more and more disenfranchised by the United States, she wanted to be in Europe as Hitler was taking over more of the continent. Finally, she found some passage to Europe and hid in a bathroom on a cargo ship from New York to England. It was the days leading up to D-Day, and to get to France, she dressed as a paramedic, traveled in an ambulance, and was the only woman on the beaches of Normandy. 

Martha had tried to help get her husband to Europe and asked Roald Dahl of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory fame, who also served in the Royal Air Force, to get him a seat on a flight from New York. Hem had another idea, he contacted Collier's who Martha worked for and offered to write for them on the war. This move would move her down the ladder, and he not only stole her job but also was over her. He tried all he could to get to the beaches but never made it, although he would retell it differently over time. 

The last straw came when on her return to England, she was asked about his health and she knew nothing about a car accident he had been in that was the beginning of many crashes and head injuries. Arriving at St George's hospital, he was surrounded by Boysturus friends and, on his bed, numerous empty bottles of alcohol. She was done with it and told him just that. Women didn’t leave Hem except Agnes, the nurse, during WWI, and Martha and his ego couldn't take it. 

At the same time, in Londo and then off to Paris, he was sleeping with his worst of all wives, Mary, a journalist and married.  In Paris, Martha and Hem planned a dinner to discuss their relationship. He showed up with a group of plans; she walked out. From Holland she sent him a letter on November 3 that she wanted a divorce, he was pissed but did agree. On December 21, 1945, the decree was granted, and it was over. Gelhorn never wanted to be the postscript in his biography, nor should she be.  

She continued chasing wars, going where women wouldn’t go. Her personal life was always a mess; she put herself first, above anything else. In 1949, she adopted a son, George Alexander Gelhorn, in Italy and would travel the world. Eventually, she left him with family in New Jersey and never looked back, and the two would never have much of a relationship. 

In 1954, she married again to T.S. Mathews, editor of Time magazine, and divorced nine years later. “Marriage bored me,” she said. 

Aside from writing about wars, she also wrote five novels, 14 novellas, and two collections of short stories, many of which are very witty and funny. In her books, she never mentioned Hemingway or let anyone else bring him up; she always called him the “unwilling companion.” 

In 1970 she finally settled down in London buying a flat in the city and a house in Wales and would continue to write and travel to Vietnam, Israel and Nivaragua until she was 81 years old. 

In her final years she suffered from liver and ovarian cancer and lost her eyeset. Always wanting to be control of her life Martha died on February 15,  1998 at 89 years old, taking her own life by swallowing cyanide pills. 

Listen to the newest episode of La Vie Creative - Paris History Avec A Hemingway today. 

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Episode 230 - Julia Child

Julia McWilliams Child, the woman who brought French cooking to America, fell in love with France as generations have fallen in love with her, born on August 15, 1912, in Pasadena into a wealthy family that had very very tall children. Julia would attend Smith College and due to her 6” 2 ‘ frame, she was perfect for the basketball team but would also play golf, tennis, and even act. Graduating with a degree in history in 1934, she wanted to become a writer and moved to New York to chase her dreams, but her vision of being the next big novelist wasn’t in the cards. Instead, she settled for working in the advertising department for the W & J Sloane furniture firm. 

As World War II broke out, she wanted to join the Women’s Army Corp, but due to her height, she was turned away. Joining the Office of Strategic Services, the OSS that would later become the CIA, she worked directly with the head of the OSS. She would also assist in creating a shark repellent; yes, you read that right. The sharks were getting too curious about the underwater explosives and would set them off, so a repellent was needed to keep them away. 

The job with the OSS would take her to Sri Lanka, where she would meet Paul Child in the summer of 1944. Paul was ten years older than her and a man of the world. He had lived briefly in Paris, where he painted and enjoyed the amazing food and wine, and Julia found him fascinating. Julia herself was a delight and even was awarded for her “inherent cheerfulness” in the OSS. 

The couple married on September 1, 1946, in Lumberville, Pennsylvania. The day before, they were in a minor traffic accident, and true to Julia and Paul's fashion, it didn’t stop them, even in bandages. For their first meal as man and wife, Julia, who had never really cooked before, decided to take a leap by cooking calf brains in red wine. Paul was such a love, but they both found it horrible. Luckily, her skills would vastly improve. 

In October of 1948, Paul was offered a job with the OSS in Paris, setting up the visual presentation department and building Franco-American relations. Paul was an avid photographer and an artist, so it was his perfect job. At 4:45 am on November 3, 1948, they arrived in Le Havre to begin one of the most exciting chapters of their lives. Complete with “the Blue Flash,” their Buick station wagon packed with everything they needed, they headed towards Paris. Stopping in Rouen for lunch at the Restaurant La Couronne, one of the oldest restaurants in France, dating back to 1345. At that meal, she enjoyed her first French baguette, cheese, and sole meunière, which would change her life. 

Early in the evening, they arrived in Paris and went to their apartment at 81 rue de l’Universite or Roo de Loo, as she called it. The two-floor apartment with wonderful large windows was the perfect place to start their French adventure. Filling the days was the hardest part for Julia. Playing bridge and making hats was a bore to her, and she wanted something more fulfilling. As a post-war wife who didn’t know how to cook, she enrolled in the Cordon Bleu, much to the chagrin of Madame Elisabeth Brassart. Madame Brassart enrolled her in the general class for housewives, which was not challenging for Julia, and spoke with her again. With her powers of persuasion, she convinced Mme Brassart to let her join the chef’s class taught by Max Bungard. Filled with only men, she would win them all over and begin a close friendship with Max Bugnard.

During her years at the Cordon Bleu, she joined Le Cercle des Gourmettes and met Simca Beck and Louisette Bertholle, two French women writing a French cookbook for Americans. The trio hit it off and started their small cooking school, L'école des Trois Gourmandes. Offering classes out of Julia’s kitchen for 20 francs, they immediately drew women to their classes and became a hit with the ex-pat Americans in Paris. Simca and Louisette constantly filled Julia in on their trouble with their American consultant and asked Julia to help them.. 

The project would take up all of her time, as she researched every detail and tested each recipe repeatedly. As the only English speaker, she took over all the writing. It would take almost ten years to complete the book, filled with ups and downs with publishers, moving to Marseilles, Germany, and Oslo, and finally, on October 16, 1961, Mastering the Art of French Cooking was released. 

Having returned to the US, Paul retired from the OSS and spent his days helping Julia, focusing on his art, and taking photos. Traveling around the country promoting the book, she met James Beard and Jacques Pépin, and of course, her cheerful demeanor created lifelong friendships. 

In February 1962, she was invited to appear on the WGBH show I’ve Been Reading in Boston. Given a thirty-minute spot, she had no idea how to fill the time, so she brought a copper bowl, whisk, eggs, and mushrooms. During the show, she whipped up an omelet, and the station was flooded with letters and calls asking for more. WGBH asked Julia to return for three half-hour episodes, which was the basis of The French Chef. Premiering on July 26, 1962, it ran for ten years and 191 episodes. Today, you can stream every one of them online on the PBS app. Julia appeared on 11 different TV shows and was on TV every week from 1963 to 2000. 

The Child’s hearts were always in France, and 1963, after an extended visit to Simca’s home in Plascassier, a small Provincial town near Grasse in the south of France, they were given the greatest gift. Simca and her husband offered them part of their land for their home. La Pitchoune was built and was the perfect place for the Children to escape, too, but also for Julia and Simca to work on volume two.

On October 22, 1970, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volume two, was released after many years of work by Simca and Julia and a diligent timeline by Judith Jones. On the road, filming TV shows and writing more books kept Julia busy, and Paul was happy to follow along. 

In October of 1974, after having some health issues, Paul was diagnosed with having had a small heart attack. The years were followed by chest pains, and his brain that was getting foggier as time went on. Their love for each other was more important than any book or TV show. Paul was the ultimate support to her at a time when it was the role of a woman to stay home and raise children. 

In 1989, Paul had a series of strokes that forced his move to a nursing home. Heartbroken at the idea of being apart, no matter where she was in the world, she would call him on the phone every day at 2 pm. Paul would die on May 12, 1994, and the love of her life would be gone. 

After his death, she packed up their Cambridge home and moved to Montecito, California, where she would stay the rest of her life. In her final years, she sat down with her nephew Alex Prud’homme and her stack of many letters between Paul and his brother and wrote her final book about their years in France. My Life in France, released after her death, is a lovely stroll through their love of each other and of France. 

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On August 13, 2004, just two days before her birthday, she died of kidney failure. The night before her final meal would be a bowl of her beloved soup a l’oignon. I remember waking up that day to the news that she died and gasped and cried, and that was long before I fell in love with her. 

In 2001, Julia donated her entire Cambridge kitchen to the Smithsonian Institute, including the pegboard that organized her pots and pans and the raised counters Paul designed just for her. 

In 2009, Meryl Streep portrayed her in Julie & Julia based on her book My Life in France. The movie does a fantastic job depicting their life and love in Paris, and Meryl Streep brings her back to life. I could watch that movie, especially the Julia parts, hundreds of times. 

Julia was in her late 30s when she discovered the meaning of her life and would follow it until she took her last breath. So many of the women we talk about in the podcast lived in the shadows of their husbands and even watched them take credit for what they did. Paul Child couldn’t have loved her more and supported her to become the Julia Child who dreamed of sharing her love of France with future generations. Thank you, Paul and Julia. 

Episode 227 - Notre Dame de Paris, Two Months To Go

Today, we are just 62 days away from the reopening of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral. On December 8, 2024, after five years and seven and a half months, the center door of the facade of Notre Dame will swing open. 

The cathedral saw a renaissance and returned to the Notre Dame of 1860. While the current head architect, Philippe Villeneuve, has taken on the massive task of managing the project, the architect of the 19th century is speaking the loudest. 

In 1844, Eugène Viollet le Duc and Jean Baptiste Lassus began restoring Notre Dame after many years of neglect. At one point, Paris tried to sell the cathedral stone by stone, although there were no takers. Under Napoleon III and with the help of Victor Hugo’s book Notre Dame de Paris, the public and faithful called for a restoration of the cathedral. 

For twenty years, Viollet le Duc added gargoyles, replaced the spire and lead roof, and repainted the interior, among other things. Today, the entire team follows Viollet le Duc as their guiding light. When the cathedral reopens, we will step back in time one hundred sixty years and to the church that Viollet restored. The role of any restorer, whether a painting, sculptor, or Notre Dame, is to bring back the work’s original intent. They are merely just a chapter in the story of the monument. 

The work site changes daily, and it’s so exciting to visit and find more of the building visible and scaffolding being removed. On April 15, 2019, after the fire engulfed the roof, it headed to the belfry of the north tower. There were just under thirty minutes to save the entire building. If the fire tore through the wooden belfry, the eight bells weighing more than fourteen tons would fall through the tower and take the entire facade with it.  

Luckily, the amazing firemen and women of Paris jumped into action and stopped the fire just in time. Two of the eight bells were damaged but were easily restored. On September 12, the eight bells of the north tower returned and, just this last week, were hung once again in the partially rebuilt belfry after being blessed by Bishop Olivier Dumas. 

Check out the episode we did last year, which was all about the Bells of Notre Dame.

Did you know there are 21 bells inside Notre Dame? In the North tower, there are eight; in the South, there are two, Emmanuel and Marie. Seven will return to the lower parts of the spire, and 4 in the transept attached to the four clocks on the roof of the transept and ring from 8 am to 9 pm. 

When we once again enter the cathedral, there will be a few changes. The entrance has changed from the south entrance of Sainte Anne to the central door of the Last Judgment. The visitor path begins on the north side and will focus on contemplating the biblical history of salvation. 

Every inch of the interior has been cleaned and restored. The twenty-four chapels have been touched up, and every detail created by Viollet le Duc has returned to its technicolor splendor.  While the chapel walls will remain the same, each chapel’s framed paintings and names have changed. More on that another day. 

The restoration and renaissance of Notre Dame have involved more than just the roof and walls. When the Portail du Jugement Dernier opens, the cathedral will be state-of-the-art in fire suppression, sprinklers, ventilation, and security. A new control center was created under the transept, and more than 125 miles of fireproof cables were installed that could withstand up to 1000 degrees of heat. Special air sensors will take in air and constantly test it for even the smallest abnormalities. 

Shortly after the fire, it was voted that the cathedral would return exactly how it was before the fire. Another decision was made that whatever was inside on April 14, 2019, must also return. This only referred to the art, as the furniture has all been updated. New liturgical furniture designed by Guillaume Bardet and made in bronze will grace the altar and holy water fonts. Sleek chairs will fill the nave by Ionna Vautrin with a low profile and can be used to rest the faithful’s elbows when they kneel to pray. One more piece that will be significant is Sylvain Dubuisson’s new reliquary for the Crown of Thorns. 

Listen to this week’s new episode of the podcast to hear ever more on the restoration of Notre Dame with just two months to go. And if you missed the last YouTube video walk around the Cathedral, check it out here.

Episode 226 - Victorine Meurent

Out today, another story of one of the most amazing women in French history. Victorine Meurent was born in Paris on February 18. 1844, and from an early age, she was drawn to art. In 1862, Edouard Manet walked into Thomas Couture’s studio and met a young girl. On this day, Victorine-Louis Meurent was in Couture’s studio when Manet arrived. She was just 16, had red hair, and was nicknamed La Crevette. She would become the muse for some of the biggest artists then. He would paint her for the first time in The Street Singer, with her piercing eyes that we would know so well in two of his most famous and controversial paintings.  Victorine would sit for him 8 or 9 times. 

Many may know her name because of one fantastic painting, Olympia. The painting rocked the Salon of 1863 with its suggestive subject of the courtesan lying naked on her bed while her servant brings her flowers from one of her admirers. Given the name Olympia, a name associated with prostitutes and the many small elements that hint at her wealth, many of which transferred over to the model herself. Victorine was nothing close to the woman in the painting; born to a well-established artistic family, she would become an artist and present her work at the Salon in 1870. 

However, we know her Manet paintings so well. The other most famous painting may or may not even be her. In 1862, when Manet painted Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, another painting that would shock the art world, he may have used her as the model, but it is more likely that he used his lover Suzanne Leenhoff. However, in the end, he would use the face of Victorine to conceal the woman he was in a secret relationship with.

She would sit for him for the last time in 1873 for The Railway before they parted ways. In her own art classes, she preferred the academic style, and Manet never liked being defined by any style. 

Sadly, only two of her paintings remain at the museum in Colombes. Other than Berthe Morisot and Suzanne Valadon, Victorine is a beautiful face we know so well from Manet's brush. Listen to the entire story on the podcast; the link is in the bio.

Le Briquet, by Victorine Meurent

Episode 225 - Suzanne Valadon

Suzanne Valadon, at a very young age, worked as a model for some of the biggest French painters of the 19th C.. Meeting them on the streets of Montmartre, she would sit for Henner, Steinlen, and Toulouse-Lautrec. However, her most famous collaboration may have been with Renoir. In Danse a la Ville and Danse a Bougival, painted in 1883, Renoir used her as his model, depicting very different scenes. Valadon in La Ville is elegant and controlled, but in Bougival, she is distant; her partner looks to be trying to get her attention. Renoir loved working with her, and Toulouse-Lautrec loved working with her.

While she posed, she soaked up the techniques of each of these masters, storing them away in her mind until she picked up her own paintbrush just as she turned 30. Degas came into her life and admired her paintings and her style, encouraging her to continue and buy her paintings to 

hang in his home. 

Suzanne’s relationships are many and have overshadowed her talent for years. Marriages and a son who never knew who his father was and had a host of his own issues. Suzanne attempted suicide and alienated her biggest supporter, Degas, but still managed to cut out a life for herself. 

Today, you can still see Suzanne in Paris hanging on the Orsay and the Pompidou walls. Renoir’s Danse à la Campagne and Danse à la Ville, two of the three series, are in the Orsay. Suzanne modeled all three, but his lover Aline Charigot’s jealousy and scraping at the painting forced Renoir to change the model for la Ville to Charigot. 

Suzanne’s paintings and drawings can be found in the Pompidou. However, if you want a personal view of her life, head to the Musée de Montmartre. Her former studio and apartment are part of the museum. Walk into her studio, where her former easels, chairs, and art fills the space with its huge windows. 

Her son Maurice Utrillo spent more time as a child with her mother and would become a painter himself. He would create beautiful images when he applied himself between bouts of drinking. Suzanne would lock him into her studio, forcing him to paint. She died on April 7, 1938, and today, his paintings are remembered more than hers, but she should be recognized for all she did, even when battling her many demons.

Episode 224 - Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun is mostly known as the official painter of Queen Marie Antoinette.  

Born on April 16, 1755, in Paris on Rue Coquillière, her father, Louis Vigèe, was an artist who began teaching her to paint at a very young age. Elisabeth was just twelve years old when her father died after swallowing a fish bone. Her mother, Jeanne, remarried quickly to jeweler Jacques-François Le Sèvre, moving the family to Rue Saint-Honoré. Elisabeth wasn’t fond of her new stepfather and missed her father dearly. 

After her father's death, she began to train under Gabriel Briard, who had an atelier in the Louvre. During the day, she would train and be surrounded by the Dutch masters. Women had many restrictions at the time, and the only way to work with other artists, male or female, as a copy mix and mingle was within the walls of the Louvre. 

In 1770, at just 15 years old, she finished her first portrait of her mother. Wanting to extend her education, she enrolled in the Academy of Saint-Luc, one of the only schools that took women students. In no time, her portraits became very popular and were sought out by the upper class of Paris at just 17 years old. Her stepfather had other ideas, such as his personal piggy bank, and saw you taking all the money she made. 

Another move in 1775 took them to Rue de Cléry and to new neighbor Jean-Baptiste Le Brun, the great-nephew of French painter and man behind Versailles Charles Le Brun. Jean-Baptiste might have already been married in Holland, but that didn’t stop him from asking Elisabeth to marry him. She wasn’t in love with him, but she wanted to get away from her stepfather.  On January 11, 1776, they were married in the Église Saint Eustache. 

The same year, the Count de Provence, future Louis XVIII, commissioned her for a portrait; it was her entry into the Court of Versailles, and there was no turning back. Marie Antoinette saw her painting and loved her flattering female touch. Painting Marie Antoinette more than thirty times, but it was one portrait that would make her a household name. 

At the Salon of 1793, she entered a painting of the queen in a white muslin dress. Seeing the queen in essentially her underwear shocked everyone. Elisabeth was forced to remove the painting and replace it with a new version, this time in a blue-grey satin dress. It has become the most often-used image of the queen since. 

It wasn’t the first time she caused a stir in the artistic world. In 1786,elf-portrait hol she painted a sding her daughter Julie. The classic Madonna and Child was an often-seen subject, but this one was a bit different. Elisabeth painted her mouth slightly open and, God forbid, smiling. People were outraged, and today, it is known as one of the very first smiles in Western art.

In 1789, while at the Chateau de Louveciennes with Madame du Barry, the Sans-Culottes arrived and destroyed all her paintings. It was the start of the Revolution, and anyone associated with the crown was threatened with death. With her daughter Julie, born in 1780, they fled France for Italy while her husband remained in Paris. In Florence and Rome, she met other exiled artists and continued to paint. 

She could not return to France as her name was on the list of more than 140,000 French citizens wanted for their ties to royalty. Elisabeth and Julie stayed in Italy, at the same time sending paintings back to Paris as they were finished. Back in Paris, her husband was working as an appraiser of the royal collections that were being seized and was also able to keep an eye on his wife's paintings that were being pulled from view and did all he could to have her name removed from the list so she could return. 

On January 18, 1801, she was finally allowed to return and traveled with her old friend, the Count de Provence, now Louis XVIII, who was avoiding France and staying in London and Switzerland. Constantly reinventing herself and nibbling between sides 1805, she painted Napoleon’s sister, Caroline Murat, in Napoleon's good graces, which put her i. 

In 1809, she purchased a house outside of Paris in Louveciennes, hosted Salons, and continued to paint. In 1815, Louis XVIII took the throne in Paris and worked to restore the image of his brother Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Louis XVIII allowed Elisabeth’s portraits of the royal family to return to the walls of the Musée du Louvre, Versailles, and Fontainebleau, where they remain to this day. 

A long-awaited divorce from her husband came in 1813, and in 1819, her estranged daughter Julie died. As everyone died around her, she wrote her three-volume memoir until she lost her sight due to a brain tumor, which took her life on March 30, 1842, on Rue Saint-Lazare. 

Elisabeth's legacy is largely defined by her iconic portraits of Marie Antoinette, a testament to her ability to immortalize historical figures. However, her artistic prowess extended beyond this, as she also created numerous other captivating images, including the portrait of Hubert Robert. Of her 900 paintings, 660 were portraits, each a unique reflection of her subjects, and are now displayed in collections across the globe. 

Episode 223 - Olympe de Gouges

There are always a few women in history that are remembered for shaking things up a bit. Olympe de Gouges is definitely one of them and she did it back in the 18th century. 

Born May 7, 1748 in Montauban, Marie-Olympe Mouisset wasn’t sure who her father was. At 17 in 1765 she married Louis-Yves Aubrey de Gourges. The next year son Pierre was born and just two years after their marriage her husband was swept away in a flood. 

In 1770, she moved to Paris with her sister and became the belle of the Paris Salons. Jacques Biétrix de Rozières, a director of a military transport company, wanted to marry the lovely Olympe. Still, she knew she had more freedom as a writer and widow than married. 

Olympe began speaking up through her words and on the stage, creating her own theater company of women to perform her plays. Her first play was Zamore et Mirza, a story of slavery in the colonies that never took the stage. It was 1784, and the Comedie Francaise received death threats. The controversial play would have to wait but still send her to the Bastille. 

One play after another spoke out against women’s rights and those who couldn’t and would all lead her to her biggest accomplishment. As the Revolution neared, she supported the monarchy until the day Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to escape. She had hoped MA would support the rights of women, including the freedom of speech, voting, and running for office. The Rights of Men was published in August of 1789, and two years later, Olympe would publish her own version.

The Declaration of the Rights of Women and of the Female Citizen was made public, 1791. The 17 articles were reimagined, and many were the same as the men's, just changed on September 14 gender. 

Of course, this didn’t sit well with Robespierre, who had her arrested on July 20, 1793. Five days later, she was charged with “writing works contrary to the wants and needs of the people.”  A trial followed in October, but the end was laid out long before. On November 4, 1793, she walked the scaffolding to her death by guillotine. She would be a symbol for centuries as the woman who stood up for so many and laid the path for equality.

EPisode 222 - Madame de Maintenon

Madame de Maintenon started out as Françoise d’Aubigné on November 27, 1635. Her father Constant d’Aubigne was sent to prison for gambling, killing a man in a duel, abducting a woman, counterfeiting and trying to start a rebellion against the king. While in prison, he met and married Jeanne de Cadillac, daughter of the prison director, and they had three children. Just after her birth, she was sent to live with her aunt Madame de Villette at the Château de Mursay nearby, after all a cold drafty prison wasn’t the place to raise a child.

Yes, it sounds like a Lifetime movie of the week and begs so many questions. In 1642, after Cardinal Richelieu died and Jeanne was able to convince her father to release him, the family headed for Ile Marie Galante. Constant was always after a fast buck, blew through Jeanne’s dowry, and cultivated one scheme after another. Once on the island, he abandoned his family, forcing Jeanne and her three kids to return to Paris. 

Times were tough for the family, and they were forced to beg for food on the street. Once again, her aunt stepped in and saved the family. Madame de Villette was raising the children as Protestant, and her godmother, Suzanne de Baudéan, was not having any of that and took her away. She was taken to live at the Ursuline convent on Rue Crémeaux in 1649, followed by the Ursuline convent on Rue Saint Jacques. Françoise didn’t take to convent life and had a difficult time until she became close with Sister Celeste, who looked after her and created a tight bond. 

On weekends, her godmother would take her to visit the salons and parties in Paris, where she would meet many authors, artists, and women from the court. On one visit, she met poet Paul Scarron, who was twenty-five years older than her and was suffering from Polio. They shared many letters until he asked for her hand, and they married on April 4, 1652. Due to his health, the eight short years of their marriage were spent taking care of him and lengthy talks about literature. Sadly, he passed away in 1660, and Françoise was left brokenhearted. 

Her godmother worked for Queen Anne d’Autriche and was able to convince her to continue Paul’s pension for the widowed Françoise, which would last until Anne died in 1666. Louis XIV wouldn’t agree to continue the payments, which left Françoise in need of making a large change in her life. 

After the support of friends ran out, she was about to move to Portugal to become the lady in waiting for the new queen, Marie-Françoise de Nemours, until Madame de Montespan stepped in. In a past episode, we talked about Louis XIV's mistress and her strange and terrifying life. The two women met at the Salon in the Marais, including the popular Salon held by Ninon de l'Enclos, who we have also covered in an earlier episode.  

In 1669, Montespan gave birth to the first of many illegitimate children of Louis XIV and then needed a place to go, away from the eyes of the court. Louis XIV purchased a hotel, particulier on the rue de Vaugirard, to hide the children. Montespan convinced Louis that Françoise would be a perfect caretaker to look after the children. Françoise loved them like they were her own and was involved in every aspect of their raising, even convincing Louis to make the children legitimate. He was not impressed with her at first; he thought she was a bit bossy and a little rough around the edges. 

He would change his tune after he had the children legitimized, and they all moved to Saint Germain en Laye, where she became the court governess. As a sign of appreciation for all she had done, Louis gave her a very large gift, allowing her to purchase the Chateau de Maintenon in 1675. At the same time, Louis purchased the title, and she became known as the Marquis de Maintenon. Meanwhile, her old friend Montespan was worried about the closeness between the king and the governess. 

In 1680, the Affair of the Poisons swept through court and Montespan’s reign was over and she was swiftly removed from court. Louis XIV became closer to Maintenon but she pushed him away from anything romantic or physical. The two became very close and he looked to her for guidance in every manner of the court and state upsetting his fellow ministers. 

A very devout catholic, she saw her role as saving Louis in the eyes of the church, while the rest of the court saw her as manipulative. On July 30, 1683, the queen died, and a few months later, on October 9, Louis and Montespan were married in a secret ceremony. Performed by the Archbishop of Paris François de Harlay de Champvalon and the king's confessor, Pére de la Chaise, behind the closed door of the king’s bedroom. The marriage was a morganatic one, which means she could not be recognized as queen or even be known as his official wife. 

They spent the majority of their time together in his bedroom, making state decisions and even taking meetings. The two joined forces in creating the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis in Rueil, a school for children of noble families, many of which had lost a parent to the many French conflicts. Recalling her days at the convent, she wanted to create a curriculum that would truly teach children, especially young women. 

As Louis got older, he worried his past romantic endeavors would not sit well with God, and he hoped his love of Maintenon would save him in the eyes of the church. Towards the end of his life, on August 30, 1715, Françoise was told there was little they could do for him, and he told her to leave. She retreated to her school, which was now located in nearby Saint-Cyr. 

The school was later moved closer to Versailles to Saint-Cyr, and she was there surrounded by children when she got the news of his death on September 1, 1715. She lived out the rest of her life there and would still take visitors, including Peter the Great, who came to seek her council, but noticing how quickly she had aged in the last few years.

On April 15, 1719, she died at 83 years old and was buried at Saint-Cyr, where she would remain until the Revolution. After World War II she was located and moved briefly to the Chapel of Versailles until 1969, when she was once again returned to Saint-Cyr, which was now a military school created by Napoleon.

Episode 221 - Hemingway and the Liberation of Paris

Hemingway was staying in the city of Rambouillet, 27 miles SW of Paris, with his makeshift troop of men, which was composed of Americans and FFI soldiers. As the days to the Liberation of Paris got closer, he wanted to head back to the center of the action and celebration. A convoy of soldiers, including Hem, headed towards the City of Light. 

Just after Noon, Hemingway and his band of men crossed into Paris over the Seine at the Pont de Sèvres. It was August 25. 1944, and the drive into the city was filled with people standing along the road cheering the soldiers as they passed by. His first stop was to see a dear friend, Sylia Beach. Living at 18 Rue de l’Odeon, Hemingway came barreling down the street, yelling out her name. Sylvia ran down the street, brought her dear friend upstairs to the 4th floor, and wondered what he could do for her.  Sylvia and Adrienne asked him if he could remove the Germains still firing from the roofs of the Odeon.  Hemingway returned to his liberated Mercedes, grabbed some men and guns, and returned to the roof of her building. Gunfire was heard for a few minutes, and then total silence; Odeon was liberated, and the nightmare was over. 

The story of where he went next is a story many “think” they know. 

As the story goes, Hem wanted to be the first American to liberate the Ritz and asked General Leclerc for men and weapons. Leclerc told him to “buzz off,” but he wasn’t to be deterred. With his driver, Sergeant Red Pelky, and a handful of soldiers and journalists, they swung into the door of the Ritz. With machine guns in hand, he saw manager Claude Auzello and asked where the Germans were. “Monsieur, they left long ago”. He invited them in but had to leave the machine guns in the Mercedes.  

Hem and his men marched into the Ritz Bar and instructed the barman to make them the Montgomery Martini: 17 parts Gin, 1 part Vermouth, which is how British Marshal Montgomery liked to face his Germans: 17 men to 1 German. Everyone tells the story that Hem himself drank 51 of these alone. In fact, his entire party drank them together. The Bar Hemingway was named in 1994 in the space that was the former ladies’ bar.

Listen to the full episode of Hemingway in the Liberation of Paris and other myths here

Episode 221 - Women of the Resistance

On this week's new episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway on La Vie Creative Podcast we share the stories of a few of the bravest women in French history. During WWII many women stood up to fight for France in any way they could and for many years they were left far from the pages of history.

Marie Madeleine Fourcade, born November 8, 1909, followed the path of most young girls. Attending the Couvent des Oiseaux, where all good girls went to become the perfect wife. At 18 she married Colonel Méric and five children quickly followed. Being a wife and mother was not all she hoped and dreamed it would be and became a journalist at first for the Vichy papers. When she realized what was truly behind the far-right movement she moved into the Resistance. 

In 1939 she met George Loustaunau-Lacau, a high-ranking official and friend of Charles De Gaulle, and became his chief of staff of the Alliance Resistance.  By 1940 they had to go underground. Marie would become the head of the Alliance and recruited over 1500 people to serve in the network as pilots, curriers, and radio operators. Known as Hedgehog, she was fearless and faced death every day. When the Germans figured out who she was and found her in a chateau and arrived to arrest her, she convinced them she needed to take a bath first. When the officers went outside to smoke she slipped out the door and made her way to Lyon. 

Arrested in November 1942 she was able to escape on the way to the Castres prison thanks to a few compliant officers. With each attack on the Alliance, she would constantly rebuild the network time after time. Highly decorated after the war she would live a long life until 1989. 

Cécile-Rol-Tanguy was born on April 10, 1919, in Royan to activist parents. During the start of WWII, she was a  “godmother of war”, essentially a pen pal, to a young soldier named Henri Tanguy.  The two finally met face-to-face and were married on April 19, 1939. In 1940 they moved to Paris and began working underground for the Resistance. She strolled through checkpoints with her baby stroller that could be filled with guns, money, and grenades. Changing her name and paper she was always one step ahead of the Germans. 

When the war ended and de Gaulle arrived in Paris and marched down the Champs Élysées he held a reception in the Hotel de Ville. Cécile was the only woman in attendance and this was only because of her husband. After WWII she was a Friend of the Fighting Spanish and when Francois Holland wanted to award her for her bravery she declined, at first. Eventually, she decided she would accept it but only on behalf of all of the women who had fought in the resistance.

After the war, she and Henri continued their commitment to the fight against fascism. With her daughter she led Les Amis des combattants de l'Espagne république and lived to the age of 101. 

Simone Segouin could be the most recognized of the ladies of the Resistance. Her father worked in the Resistance as well as in the local government. She was just 16 years old and dared to blow up bridges, lay traps, and damage German villages. In Chartres, she stole a bicycle, repainted it, and spent a year riding all over the Loire delivering messages.  On August 23, 1944, she took part in the Liberation of Chartres and two days later arrived in Paris for the big fight, the Liberation of Paris. It was on the streets of Paris that her most famous image was shot. A young girl standing against a wall holding a large German machine gun taken from a soldier. 

This moment was captured on film by photographer Jack Belden and was featured in Life Magazine making her the most famous image of the Resistance. After the war, she became a nurse, had six children, and never married. When she was offered the Legion of Honor award and at first refused but was later accepted in 2021. Simone lived to be 97 years old on February 21, 2023

Such amazing acts of bravery throughout France that we can honor 80 years later. 

Listen to the full story and a few other ladies in this week’s episode out now

Episode 220 - Notre Dame de Paris with Less than 4 Months to go

In less than four months we will once again walk inside the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris and I can’t wait!

For the last five years more than 2000 craftsmen have been working six days a week to rebuild and restore the Cathedral. When the doors reopen on December 8 it will return to how it looked exactly 160 years ago.  

Eugène Violett-le-Duc took over the restoration of the cathedral in 1844 after Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris novel spurred interest in the once grand sanctuary that was crumbling.  For twenty years he rebuilt the spire, replaced the statuary, returned stained glass windows to the walls, and added elements we love today. 

The current head architect Philippe Villeneuve’s role is to bring back the former glory and respect of the architects of the past. I love that future generations will talk about Villeneuve the way we have talked about Viollet-le-Duc. Well maybe not exactly like me, since I love both of them deeply. 

In the last few months, the worksite has rapidly changed. The silhouette has returned with the beautiful decorative ridge designed by Viollet-le-Duc. 2700 sheets of lead created and shaped in England have covered the roof.  The spire is almost finished with just the lower open work waiting for its lead covering and in the next few months, the 16 statues will crown the edges and once again guard the spire. 

The roof of the eastern end of the building over the choir apse marks the final point and return of the silhouette of the beloved cathedral. Made up of more than twenty sections of trapezoid-shaped lead sheets, the last sheet was installed on the 24th of July. Ornamental roofers added the ceremonial bouquet of flowers marking the completion. 

Just above, is one of the most special of all pieces and the only thing that outlived the night of April 15, 2019.  In 1860 Violett-le-Duc designed an iron cross that was covered with more than a hundred details. I arrived in Paris just four days after the fire and as I walked around the island I noticed the cross teetering on the edge of the roof near the north transept. Luckily it was rescued and restorers have spent more than 1000 hours cleaning, restoring, and gilding the cross in the atelier of Florent Boutroy. The 42-foot-tall cross was installed on May 24, exactly two months before the roof was finished. 

On the night of the fire, as the spire fell and the roof disappeared the next fear was the 12th & 13th century rose windows. The small oculus opening over the grand rose saw flames raging through the window, but luckily the rose below was left unscathed. The same was true on the south side. 

The transept crossing on the north and south sides is fully revealed, giving us a glimpse at the 13th-century rose windows untouched by the fire. At the top of each pignon that has been mostly rebuilt and restored where possible craftsmen and at times the skinniest they had worked around the clock to recreate the design of Viollet-le-Duc. Encased in scaffolding as the design elements of the turrets were added the space became so tight that the smallest of restorers were called in to add the last details. A total of 272 hooks, 14 chimeras, and 16 gargoyles on the north were created, and 192 hooks and 12 chimeras and gargoyles on the south. 

Crowning the top of the pignons are statues copied directly from the original 19th century versions. On the south Saint Etienne, dedicated to the first church on this very spot. Saint Marcel, 9th bishop and protector of Sainte Genevieve, both were too damaged to be saved and were recreated from original plans.  Original to the 19th century, at the top of the south is a statue of Christ and on the north side is Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris who looks north to his final resting place at the Basilique Saint Denis. 

Before they are fully revealed a patina was added so they will eventually blend with the rest of the exterior. I can’t wait to be back inside and once again look up at the beautiful windows. 

When you stand just below the grand facade of Notre Dame the two towers stretch to the sky in front of us and hard to believe how close we were to losing the entire church. That night as the flames devoured the roof the fire inched its way to the north bell tower. We later learned that there was a twenty-minute window to either control the fire or watch the total destruction of the cathedral. 

The towers hold the very heavy bells that ring out over the city on special occasions. In the north bell tower are 8 bells that are held in a tall wooden belfry. Supporting the bells they also help absorb any vibration that could damage the stone. That night the flames did reach the belfry and forever thankful to the pompiers of Paris they were able to extinguish the flames and halt any more damage. 

Inspecting the belfry resulted in a few new beams or grafting new pieces. Before completion, a jack will raise the 150-ton belfry 11 inches to replace the three large pieces of wood. Two of the bells suffered from some heat and fire damage and are being restored along with the remaining six. They will return to the newly restored belfry in a few months. 

Coming soon on the podcast we will share details on the interior and the new features added for the opening in December. 

Episode 219 - Inside the Art of the Opening Ceremonies

On July 26 the Paris 2024 Olympics opened with the ceremonial lighting of the cauldron. Since April the Olympic flames traveled from Greece through just about every corner of France and even to French territories in the middle of the ocean. 

Let’s look at a few of the moments of the Opening Ceremonies that are tied to art and what have garnered a lot of internet attention. 

To start the masked torch bearer that ran through the city. Many think he was a character from Assassin’s Creed and it partially is but also he was a character dreamed up using the Man in the Iron Mask, Phantom of the Opera, Fantomas, Arsène Lupin, and Belphégor  who haunts the Louvre.  

Belphégor is the legend of the ghost that haunts the Egyptian collection every night and is the subject of a popular book from 1927, and a TV show in France in 1965. In the 2001 movie starring Sophie Marceau, it is an evil forgotten mummy found in the reserves of the Louvre and causes all sorts of problems.  

Racing down the Seine before the final run of the torch was a gorgeous silver horse that took over a year to create and was controlled by a submarine-like boat under the water. This stunning figure represents Sequana, the Celtic Goddess of the Seine. Nothing more, nothing less.  I did love when she walked the flag towards the officials in the Trocadero lighted wings of victory perfectly framed her under the Eiffel Tower. 

One of the closely kept secrets was who would light the cauldron and the cauldron itself. Many months ago they told us it would be in the Jardin des Tuileries in front of the Louvre but what it would be was something we could not have imagined. 

Mathieu Lehanneur designed the torch and the cauldron and created something that will be hard to ever top. A hot air balloon with a very special nod to history sits over a 23-foot-diameter ring of fire. However, it’s not the fire you think. It was created by EDF and is made of beams of LED  light and a mist of water and is 100% renewable. 

Why a balloon you ask? Well, this is Paris and nothing happens by chance. The patrimoine, or heritage is taken very seriously here and the balloon is a nod to an event that happened on December 1, 1793. Professor Jacques Charles created a hydrogen balloon and on that date from close to the very spot the balloon sits today Charles and Nicolas Robert took off from the ground and floated 27 miles while more than 400,000 people watched along with Benjamin Franklin. Aghast at the sight of flight just over their heads. 

On the south wall near the entrance to the garden near the Place de la Concorde is a plaque remembering this event that few ever notice. I have a feeling more people may spot it now, or maybe that’s just a hopeful wish. 

At the time there was a race between Charles and the Montgolfier brothers. On September 19 the brothers sent a duck, sheep, and a rooster into the air while Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette watched at Versailles. The animals survived the flight but the duck’s beak was broken when the sheep sat on it in the descent. The sheep went on to live out their final days in the hamlet of Marie Antoinette.

On November 21 the brothers set off the first manned balloon flight from the Chateau de la Muette and flew over the Tuileries reaching its highest point before coming down on the Butte-aux-Cailles  On the flight were the first two French astronauts, the Marquis d’Arlandes and Jean-Francois Pilâtre de Rozier. Just two years later Rozier died while trying to cross over the English channel. 

The balloon sits over the eastern basin of the Tuileries which also happens to line up with the Axis Historique. The special line drafted by Alexandre Le Notre in the 18th century lines up the Bernini statue of Louis XIV near the Pyramid of the Louvre and a straight line through the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel, the Cauldron, the Obelisk, Arc du Triomphe, and out to the Arc of La Défense

This was not an accident.

As for the Cauldron, each night from sunset to 2 am it will rise again 197 feet or more than 18 stories into the air. The artist is also mounting a campaign to keep the balloon and cauldron in the Tuileries full-time.

Meanwhile, inside the Louvre the characters of paintings have jumped out to watch the athletes pass by on the Seine. Although they have them looking into the Cour Carrée and not the Seine. 

During the ceremony, a few heads were spotted in the Seine just past the Louvre. Not just any figures, they belong to some amazing paintings you can find inside the Louvre.

Starting from the Pont Royal is the stunning Madeline by Marie-Guilhelmine Benoist. The actual title of the piece is A Portrait of a Black Woman. Painted in 1800 it changed the landscape of art. Madeleine was a beautiful black woman who came from Guadalupe when Marie met her. Using the classic pose that she learned under J L David she placed Madeleine on a winged chair and draped her in white fabric with a touch of blue and red in the Empire style and suddenly transformed how black models were seen. 

Marie Guillemine de Laville-Leroux Benoist is a mostly unknown artist. Born December 18, 1768, in Paris into a political family which would help her enter into one of the most prestigious ateliers in Paris. 

At just 13 years old she began training with Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun who was the First Painter to Marie Antoinette. Her talent was noticed and in 1784 she exhibited for the first time at the Salon a painting of her father. The 18th century wasn’t kind to female painters but under the lead of Le Brun, she was able to traverse the art world and get noticed by a few of the biggest names. 

In 1788, Marie was asked by Jacques Louis David to join his atelier. The king of the Neoclassical movement was happy to take women in as a way to get back at King Louis XVI who forbade women artists to train in the Louvre. At the time David lived and had his studio in the Louvre. Most women were relegated to painting flowers & landscapes, but David suggested she try her hand at historic subjects. 

In 1800 she created a painting that changed the landscape of art. After a visit to her brother-in-law's home, she met Madeleine and decided to paint a subject that was rarely seen in art at the time. Madeleine was a beautiful black woman who came from Guadalupe when Marie met her. Using the classic pose that she learned under David she placed Madeleine on a winged chair and draped her in white fabric in the Empire style and suddenly transformed how black models were seen. 

The model was unknown until a  few years ago before an exhibit at the Orsay unveiled her name. On June 27, 1818, the Director of the Maison du Roi purchased the painting with three of her other paintings. Under Louis XVIII the painting was sent to the Louvre. I wish she was somewhere where more people could discover her but until that day, be sure to search for her when you visit the Louvre. 

The next woman is featured in George de La Tours The Cheater with the Ace of Cards painted in 1636. Three grifters work together to steal the money of a rich young man by hiding an ace behind one of their backs. Our lady in the Seine is the Courtesan with a red hat decorated with an ostrich feather and pear drop earrings. The pearls are a giveaway that she is a prostitute

And you thought pearls were so classy.

Next, we have Muhammad Qasim’s Portrait of Shah Abbas Ier drawn in 1627. Sadly not on display in the Louvre at this time. The drawing is of the Shah and his page boy who clutches a wine flask near the elder’s lap. I’ll let you figure out that symbolism. On the painting is a quote: 

“May life provide all that you desire from three lips: those of your lover, the river, and the cup.” rather fitting on the banks of the Seine. 

My other favorite painting that is sure to always catch the visitor’s eye is the presumed portrait of Gabrielle d’Estrées and her sister the Duchess of Villars. There is still a lot that is unknown about this painting, including that of the subject and the artist. Attributed to the Fontainebleau School in 1594, it is believed to be Gabrielle and her sister, the Duchess of Villars who held her nipple between her fingers, which was a gesture symbolizing pregnancy. Gabrielle would have been five months pregnant with the future Duke of Vendome, Henri IV’s illegitimate son. In Gabrielle’s left hand, she holds a ring between her fingers, the coronation ring of Henri– a token of his love and loyalty. In the background sits a woman sewing, could it be baby clothes? 

Gabrielle d’Estrées is a woman known more for her risque painting than for her life itself. Gabrielle was born around 1573, and daughter of Antoine d’Estrées, Baron de Boulonnois and Françoise de la Bourdaisieres. She was one of eleven children, seven of which were girls, and gave them the moniker “seven deadly sins” by the Marquis de Sevigné.

The union of Gabriele and Henri resulted in three children. Caesar in 1594, Catherine in 1596, and Alexandre in 1598. All three were legitimized in the eyes of the monarchy and the church as Henri’s children. In 1599 she became pregnant again. Each of her pregnancies was very easy, but this fourth was giving her a lot of issues. Sick every day she struggled for five months. 

On April 6, 1599, she left Henri behind at Fontainebleau, it was just a few days before their wedding planned for April 11, Easter. She cried and sobbed and had to be pulled off of him, on what would be the last time she saw her love. On April 7 she dined with Sebastion Zamet, an  Italian who had arrived in France with Catherine de Medici and was also close with Marie de Medici. That night at dinner when she said she wasn’t feeling well, Zamet gave her a frosted lemon. The next day she began having contractions and pains, she was only 5 months along. 

The baby had already died and doctors tried to figure out what to do as she got worse. After a day her face and neck suddenly turned black leaving the doctors baffled. When word finally reached Henri at Fontainebleau he travelled to Paris as fast as he could but it would be too late. On April 10, at just 26 years old Gabrielle would die, the day before their intended wedding. 

Distraught, Henri planned a lavish funeral at the Eglise Saint Germain l’Auxerrois fit for a queen. Henri dressed in black for months, shocking most as white was the normal color for royals in mourning. A lifelike effigy was created and placed in the room next to his where he would sit with her and eat his meals. 

Less than a year later Henri would marry Marie de Medici. 

There has been a lot of news about one moment in the Olympics. Held on the Passerelle Debilly a fashion catwalk of performers that flashed across the TV screens in between the athlete parade. 

The day after the internet was a flutter in responses thinking it was a reenactment of the Last Supper by da Vinci. A few things first. The Last Supper resides in Milan and while many armchair internet art historians think they have it figured out most are very far from the truth. 

Art has a long history of shocking people. Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe and Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People are two of the most famous that caused a stir by mixing Greek statuary with contemporary figures. 

Just because a painting is a large group of people at a table it doesn’t mean it is the Last Supper. In the Louvre you can find the largest painting in the collection, Veronese’s Wedding Feast of Cana, and in the Orsay, we have Thomas Couture  Roman Decadence better known as the Roman Orgy.  Both are at a large table. I overhear people all the time thinking the Vernose painting is the Last Supper.  You can also find the Last Supper in the Louvre by French and Northern School painters as well. 

Especially within the Northern School steps from the Medicis gallery are two paintings dedicated to the  Feast of the Gods and the Wedding Feast of Thétis et de Pélée.   Around a table are the many gods including Mercury, the Three Graces, Neptune, Apollo, and the Muses of Zeus, Athena, Mars, and Bacchus. Bacchus is normally depicted with a crown of grapes vines as he is the god of Wine and pleasure. This is the Olympics that originated in Greece where a very deep tie to mythological figure

At the start of the scene at the opening ceremony,  Festivité flashed across the screen. Which tells you everything. 

France loves a celebration and every day you are to slow down and enjoy your cafe or dinner with friends and loved ones enjoying amazing food, wine, and conversation. All one needs to do is walk the streets of Paris every single night of the year and see that for yourself. 

The creators of the opening ceremonies wanted to avoid the Paris Cliché that has been created and regurgitated for decades. Paris is not Emily. It is not red berets and khaki trenchcoats and it is not mimes. They wanted to teach the world what Paris is and its history and culture. 

Most of my wonderful clients who book tours with me are already knowledgeable in French history and art. I love touring people across the cobblestones of Paris and talking with them about what they know of Monet or Delacroix when I share with them addresses where they once lived. 

If anything what the controversy has shown us is that the world is becoming more uneducated. A combination of shorter attention spans,  getting all their information from sources that are not always correct, and also taking art education out of schools has led us to this point and I for one, find it quite sad. 

So we are forever grateful for our listeners and followers who always have a thirst for knowledge of all things creative and France. 

Episode 218 - The Apartments of Napoleon III Part Two

Last week we gave you the back story on the creation of the beautiful rooms of the former Ministries of State and Finance, aka Apartments of Napoleon III in the Musée du Louvre. 

This week we are going to share with you the gorgeous details of each of these rooms and how they were used.  There are two types of rooms in the suite of apartments. The smaller private rooms for the minister and wife and the over-the-top ceremonial rooms. 

The rooms just went through a much needed nine-month cleaning and restoration with the reopening on June 21, 2024. The Louvre also added a few great informative banners with some details on the restoration available in French, English, and Spanish and if you visit in the next few months check them out, they normally don’t leave these up forever. 

Let’s head into the rooms. At first, you will be struck by how subdued these rooms are. When first installed the staircase separated the bedroom and bathroom from the boudoir and family living room. However, with each minister, they would move these around. Just before the rooms were inaugurated they were changed again when Count Walewski moved in and sent his wife to the ground floor rooms. 

Lefuel originally had these rooms planned with elaborate walls and painted ceilings. These rooms were finished first in 1859 after the minister’s office in the Richelieu Pavillon and allowed the Foulds to move right in. Many people walk right through these rooms as they don’t hold quite the wow factor as the gilded gold and red rooms but take a moment to look at them. 

While the ceilings don’t have large murals painted there are still details not to miss. The first room after the entrance was the drawing room which changed with each minister. This was essential in the family sitting room with large book shelfs in the alcove which Fould insisted on having. The fireplace is a copy of the dauphin’s bedroom at Versailles with bronze caryatid and atlas on the corners by bronzesmith Charles Perrault and gilded by H. Picard. The ceiling is simple with objects representing science, industry, and the arts in a pretty green color by Charles Chauvin. 

Just through this room that connects to the northern side of the grand staircase is a small antechamber that also connects to a bedroom that is not open to the public. 

Beginning the status of grandeur is the Escalier d’honneur des appartements du ministre d’État. On the south side that overlooks the Cour Napoleon and upper balcony that connected the minister’s office to the Grande Salon. The sculptures and art found in these rooms are original to the space including La Méditation by Jean Marie Bonnassieux and the one that always catches the attention of children Enfant Jouant avec une Tortue by Pierre Hébert who also sculpted the statue of Sainte Genevieve on the facade of Saint Etienne du Mont.

As discussed last week architect Lefuel cut many corners when picking the materials and the staircase is a great showcase for those. All the walnut doors on the three levels were designed by Lefuel and carved by Harpin & Cousseau including the two doors that are just for show. The palmette motifs above the door were carved by their team of 12 artists. However, the railing and large light fixture are not iron and the first design submitted was turned down and Lefuel partially designed exactly what he wanted.  Sculptor Morland worked on the crown and genie figures on the chandelier which was originally gas and electroplated by Charles Christofle. Instead of using cast iron for the decorative metalwork, electroplating, and painted metal was used instead. 

A few of my favorite things are the lamps on the south railing over the staircase. Copper-plated Medicis vases topped with small dragons and lion heads. On the east and west walls are two large paintings by Charles Francois Daubigny who painted many of the murals in the apartments. On the east the Pavillon de Flore was once part of the Tuileries and on the west wall the Palais and garden of the Tuileries. The palace was destroyed in 1871, ten years after it was painted. 

We will walk through another small room of the personal apartments. With the beautiful fabric covering the walls with bouquets the one-time boudoir of the wife of the minister, the ceiling is painted by floral artist Alexis de Ghéquier. Most of the decoration is in the corners and a combination of painted floral garland, swags, and golden scrollwork. The corners are beautiful be sure to take a close look and not just speed through the room. 

The next room is the first of the highly decorated rooms and is different from all the others. The Large Antechamber is covered in waxed walnut carved by Nelli. Once the design was approved by Lefueul forty-two artists sculpted each panel. Take a close look at the paneling and then the large table created by Deguil & Ramillan. The same motif is used on both which is something Lefuel would employ in a few rooms. As you enter the room a gorgeous green marble heater by René Langlois perfectly matches the green damask velvet chairs. 

The ceiling is also covered with waxed walnut with egg borders and rosettes and crowned in the center with a brown monochromatic representing allegories of the arts by Victor-Francois Biennoury who also painted many ceilings for the emperesses rooms of the Tuileries. 

Now we step into the first of the gold and red rooms and the first thing you notice are the two large chandeliers. Each with more than 80 bulbs yet not the most impressive, that one is yet to come. What appears to be stone sculptures on the walls and ceilings are carton-pierre which is boiled tissue paper, clay, chalk, and glue.

Much lighter on the walls than stucco and less expensive. Carton-pierre can also be found at Versailles, although you would never really know. Sculpted by Joseph-Felix Simoullard and Bernard did much of the wall and ceilings throughout the ceremonial rooms. The carpet that reflects the rosette and frames of the ceiling by Braquerié is an exact copy of the original.  Charles Daubigney painted the large pieces of Herons and Stags on the walls. 

The last room of the private apartments served as the bedroom for the minister’s wife and also included a small dressing room that was later removed. The ceiling, painted by Alexis de Ghéquier with garlands of flowers, heads of goddesses in the corners, and a vase of flowers representing each season at the center of each side. The same lovely fabric on the walls as in the last room of the private apartments but not originally part of the decor. Most of the fabric dates to the 1970s.

A transitional room. The family living room could also be used for smaller formal events. Much of the furniture in this room is original but the tapestry queen chairs by Louis Delanois date to 1763. With images by François Boucher, it’s a bit of the style of Versailles added in. The ceiling by Emilé Levy is in the center of the Stars & the Elements again in a monochromatic color. Apollo is the sun in a chariot pulled by horses. On the left Diane is the moon with cupids in the center. Around the ceiling in the voussure  are four medallions representing each of the elements. North is the earth, west represents air, south is the water, and east is fire. 
This is the only room in the apartments that also has framed art on the walls and originally here. In 1993 when these rooms became part of the museum the entire contents were added to the inventory of the Louvre. The Vase of Flowers by Elise Bruyére over the door is lovely and on the east wall View of Nice by Adolphe Viollet-le-Duc, son of the architect should be noticed.  Sculpture on the walls and ceiling by Emilé Knecht and the doors with blue cameos by Charles-Dominique Chauvin. 

Episode 217 - The History of the Napoleon III Apartments, part 1

The Apartments of Napoleon III in the Musée du Louvre is a bit of a misnomer. Even the Louvre website titles them the “so-called Apartments of Napoleon III”. Most believe that the 2nd and last Emperor of France lived there, it’s not a big leap and the name would have you believe this is a fact. However, I am here to set the story straight and give you all the gilded details of these beautiful rooms of the Louvre. 

Under the reign of Napoleon III, he transformed the city into the Paris we know today. Large boulevard lined with beautiful buildings and wrought iron balconies. Streets topped with monuments and parks dotting the neighborhoods. One of his greatest projects he would tackle was the transformation of the Palais des Tuileries and the Musée du Louvre.

The  Palais du Louvre re-imagination started by François I in the 16th century and conceptualized under Henri IV would finally come to fruition over 200 years later with Napoleon III.  Living in the Tuileries and naming himself Emperor as one does he wanted to set up his government a short walk away and installed many of the offices in the Tuileries and Louvre.  

On July 25, 1852, the first stone of the Richelieu wing for the “New Love” was laid with a goal in mind to finish by the 1855 Universal Exposition. Inaugurated on August 14, 1857, the next day on Saint Napoleon’s Day, the public entered the newly improved Louvre. The Louvre of the 18th and 19th centuries was a far cry from what we know it today. Now it stretches to close to nine miles of gallery space, however, in the time of Napoleon III, it was mostly reserved for offices. 

In 1852, Napoleon brought back the position of the Minister of State. It was a pre-curser to the Ministry of Culture and oversaw the museums, arts, and theater as well as the Emperor’s parties. It was under the second minister Achille Fould that saw the movement of the offices from the Tuileries to the new arm of the Palais du Louvre in the Richelieu wing. 

Architect Hector-Martin Lefuel took over the New Louvre project after the sudden death of Louis Visconti in 1853. Carrying out the original plan with a few changes and having input on every small detail. Visconti was fine letting the inner decor of the structure be led by others but not Lefuel. He wanted a say in every curtain, wall hanging, and painting and let it be known. However, he would meet his match with Minister Fould who also had strong ideas on what his offices and private apartments should look like. 

What began under Napoleon Bonaparte at the start of the 19th century aligning himself with the over-the-top glitz and guiding of the Ancien Regime. Napoleon III would crank it up a few notches and spread it around into any of the projects he took on and become the style of Napoleon III. Inspired by the Hotel de Soubise and Versailles, the style of Louis XV for the private rooms and Louis XIV style for the ceremonial rooms continued into the Louvre.

Lefuel used modern techniques and cut corners where he could due to time constraints and costs.  Pasteboard instead of carved wood or stucco for wall decorations and electroplating instead of durable wrought iron. This would backfire then many things had to be replaced as they didn’t stand up to time.

The Apartments of the Minister give us a glimpse of what the Palais des Tuileries looked like and the decor created under Empress Eugenie. Destroyed in the Commune of 1871, nothing remains of the palace’s interior and the destruction would later lead to the second life of the ministry apartments. 

Minister of State Achille Fould was born in Paris on November 17, 1800. His father was a banker and thought Achille would follow in the family’s footsteps. Named the minister of Finance in 1849 under the first President of the Republic,  Napoleon III. He held the job until the 1851 coup d’etat. He would be promoted to Minister of State and the Household of the Emperor which also placed him in charge of the Musée du Louvre and a major role in the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris. 

Small design elements of the apartments were encouraged by Fould. Artists chosen, changing imitation terracotta in the paintings to stone and movement from the private apartment to offices. Sadly, Fould would be out of the job when the rooms were finally inaugurated in 1861. 

Count Alexandre Walewski, cousin of Napoleon III took over the role of Minister and inaugurated the rooms with a lavish ball on February 11, 1861. Walewski was the son of Countess Marie Walewski who met Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 in Poland.  She was encouraged to get close to Bonaparte to help Poland gain independence from Prussian and Russian rule. 

Claiming this was the only reason however she would follow him from Poland to Vienna and finally Paris. In 1809 she discovered she was pregnant and returned to Poland and her husband for the last few months of her pregnancy. Claiming the baby was his son but one look at the child and Napoleon knew he was his. Although he was never legitimized it was also the proof Bonaparte needed to know that he wasn’t the issue in the bedroom with Josephine and would lead to their divorce. In 2013 a DNA test was done on a few of his descendants and he is confirmed to be the son of Napoleon Bonaparte. 

Just one look at the Count in photos as he got older is very clear to see. He would go on to have a few illegitimate children including a son with French actress Rachel who we have covered in a past episode. 

The night of the inauguration on February 11, 1861, a party that was talked about for generations saw the who’s who of Paris arriving. For three hours a constant stream of over two thousand attendees dressed in the haute couture of the day arrived. A large May Pole was set up in the Grand Salon and the music of Beethoven, Liszt, Verdi, and Mozart played while soprano Pauline Viardot sang. 

Two years later the ministry changed once again with Aguste Billault taking over for a few short months until he died in office and was replaced by Eugene Rocher.  Madame Rocher would make the biggest changes in the private apartments by moving her husband downstairs into the lower mezzanine taking over the larger rooms and adding a boudoir. Madame Rocher was hard to convince to leave her property on the edge of Paris where she had a wide array of animals including swans, cows, and sheep. Many of her animals went to the farm of Marshall Vaillant and the sheep lived out their life in the basement of the Louvre. 

The ministry was abolished in 1869 and the Ministry of Letters and the Fine Arts moved in until the collapse of the Empire of Napoleon III. As a result of the Seige of Prussia and the actions of the Emperor that led to many angry Frenchmeto the Bloody Week of May 1871 saw the destruction of many of the buildings of Paris. 

The Palais des Tuileries was a pivotal monument of their anger and they quickly set their sights on the Ministry of Finance on the Rue de Rivoli and the Imperial Library located in the Palais du Louvre.  The Tuileries and Ministry were destroyed and burnt to the stone walls.  Now without a home, the Ministry of Finance squatted in the Louvre. A few short weeks later Adolphe Thiers made it official and signed the offices over to Finance. 

In 1873 restoration work began on the former library of the Pavillon Richelieu and the offices of the Ministry that expanded throughout the wing and seven floors. In 1905 part of the office was allocated to the Musée des Arts Decoratifs. 

No longer using the private apartments to live they became part of the official offices of the minister including the future president of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing from 1969 to 1974. The fancier rooms were used for ceremonial events until 1989. 

In 1981 Francois Mitterand initiated the Grand Louvre project which would see the building of the Pyramid, changing the layout of the Louvre and the need for more space. The Ministry was told to leave and new offices down the Seine in Bercy were being built. New minister Edouard Balladur didn’t like the idea and decided he was going to stay in the Louvre. The negotiating delayed the project a year until they could push it out just in time for the inauguration of the Pyramid on March 30, 1989. 

The seven levels of the Richelieu wing were not going to line up with the design of the museum and most of the interior was demolished to rebuild into three floors. The exception was the rooms of the ministry which were restored but still hold their original decor. 

Recently cleaned and restored the rooms reopened on June 21 and I was the first one in the door to once again stand under the large chandeliers. 

Next week we will share the details on the decor and functions of each room.

Episode 216 - Veuve Clicquot

On December 16,  1777, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, the mother of champagne was born.  Ponsardin came from a wealthy family in Reims, France. Her father Ponce Jean Nicolas Philippe Ponsardin was a textile merchant and politician who worked with Philippe Clicquot. Clicquot was also an important textile merchant and they decided to strengthen their companies and families through the arranged marriage of their children.

At 21 years old Barbe-Nicole married François Clicquot uniting the family. Clicquot also owned some vineyards but hadn’t been too serious in the winemaking game yet but his son François saw it had great promise.

François began work right away in the champagne business with his father expanding the company to 60,000 bottles a year and shipping throughout Europe at the start of the 19th century.  On March 20, 1799, their daughter Clémentine was born and six short years later her husband François would die of typhoid or suicide on October 23, 1805. Now with a small child and a champagne house Barbe-Nicole, Veuve Clicquot had to decide what to do next. 

Her father-in-law Philippe wanted to sell the company but Barbe-Nicole wanted to take it over. At the time the new Napoleonic Code didn’t allow women to work or head a company unless they were widows. She had enough family money that she would be able to take on the business on her own, something that women did not do at the time. One of the first women to lead an International business, forever known as Veuve Clicquot was born in that moment. In 1810 she launched Veuve-Clicquot Ponsardin and became the first female champagne producer and the first to lead a champagne house. 

A keen head for business with the help of lifelong employee Louis Bohne, she discovered that the Russian royalty loved her Champagne and shipped thousands of bottles to them. When Napoleon’s naval blockades thwarted her business, she used other boats to get her liquid gold to them. On the brink of losing everything she would charter a Dutch boat to sneak down the rivers to Russia with over 10,000 bottles. Selling out in just a few weeks she would do it again and again. This decision would change her business, surviving on the waterways of France and why you see the anchor on the bottle today. As for that distinct yellow color of the label,  well that comes from a perfect French chicken egg yoke.

While many Champagne houses waited for the conflicts to be over she used the time to build her brand and when things eased up she was ready to take on the world. By 1814, she was producing 400,000 bottles a year. 

One day when they were trying to figure out a better method to remove the lees (yeast) from the bottle. Sitting around her kitchen table she came up with an idea and began to cut holes into her table. She created the technique of riddling that allowed the bottles to be placed at a 45-degree angle so the yeast would gather in the neck of the bottle, frozen, and removed, thus ending in that clear glass of bubbles. 

 La Grande Dame de la Champagne would die on July 29, 1866, at 89 years old, leaving behind a legacy that would last until this day. At the time of her death, she was now producing 750,000 bottles a year. Today the house is owned by LVMH, the largest luxury brand in the world, and produces more than 4,000,000 bottles a year. I think Madame Clicquot would be pretty proud of how beloved her champagne is today.

On my first visit to France, a trip to the motherland was at the top of my list. As we drove into Reims it was straight to the golden gates of the Madame herself. A tour of the champagne house includes a visit down into the caves that have been used for hundreds of years. Along the rows and rows of riddling racks keep an eye out at the chalk walls. During World War I they were used as a hospital and red crosses remain to remind us of the past and are especially important today when we need to know how we can survive. 

I’ll keep my Vueve-colored heels following in her steps every day with a glass of Champagne bien sur.