19.7.12

New fences


The fences around “my” park, Square des Batignolles are being restored. The park was designed by Jean-Charles Alphand, who has his name linked to some twenty other squares and parks in Paris, including the most well-known.  The park was officially opened in 1876, but the fences are there since 1862, so 150 years later the need for restoration was there.

The works are planned to be finished late this year. The first restored pieces are now there, however the ornaments, which had disappeared in the meantime and now are promised to come back, are still missing.  

The poster giving information about the works is illustrated by a painting by Eduard Manet, “The Railway”, from 1873. The lady on the painting is the same as we can find on the maybe most famous paintings by Manet, “The Luncheon on the Grass” (1862-63) where she shared the role (the face) with Manet’s wife (the body) and “Olympia” (1863). “The Luncheon on the Grass” was exhibited in 1863 and created uproar, but “Olympia”, exhibited in 1865, even more. Her name was Victorine Meurent (1844-1927). She played the guitar, the violin – even gave lessons – sang in cafés and also modeled for Degas. She became a good painter herself. “Palm Sunday” is by her.

The rail tracks are still there, but the steam engines have been replaced. Even if it seems that “The Railway” may have been created closer to Gare Saint Lazare (Pont de l'Europe), it has anyhow been painted along the same railway tracks that lengthen the park…

… and Manet’s name is clearly linked to the Batignolles area and to the members of the “Batignolles Group”, who later became better known as impressionists (Degas, Monet, Renoir, Sisley,  Bazille, Cézanne, Sisley, Pisarro, Fantin-Latour… ). I already posted about all this e.g. here.


... and the work goes on, for a couple of months more.

18 comments:

Tanya Breese said...

oh i love these!

French Girl in Seattle said...

What a special neighborhood to live in Peter! Don't you just love how the city of Paris maintains its buildings, monuments and structures? All that good taxpayers' money at work, eh? :-) Can't wait to see the end result and the newly restored fence -- I am sure you will pay it another visit as soon as work is completed. Have a great summer in France, Peter! Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Anonymous said...

¡Que hermosura este artículo!

¡Me encantó!

Mil gracias Peter.

Maria

martinealison said...

Il est méritoire de redonner un bain de jouvence à toutes ces magnifiques clôtures qui font partie de notre riches patrimoine.
Votre publication est très intéressante et j'ai beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir ou à redécouvrir toutes ces informations largement et agréablement accompagnées de sublimes photos.

Gros bisous.

claude said...

Il est important de restaurer de belles fences comme celles-là.

Synne said...

It's always nice to see that pretty details are taken good care of!

hpy said...

Nous aussi, parfois on aurait besoin d'un ravalement de façade.

Thérèse said...

Restaurer les fers forgés est un travail monstre. Brosser à la brosse de fer, anti rouille, peinture... je pense qu'on ne peut le faire qu'à la main. Cela me rappelle des "vacances" à la maison... :-)

Studio at the Farm said...

I'm glad to see the city is touching up "your" park. ;)

Starman said...

The restoration looks very good so far. Madame Meurent is new to me.

Anonymous said...

Did not Mary Cassatt hang out with

this group of Impressionists too?

Your photos are lovely!

Maria

PeterParis said...

Yes, I think she joined the third or forth impressionist exhibition. A lot of Americans joined or followed the movement! :-)

Kate said...

Certainly a strong and good-looking fence!

delphinium said...

Moi je crois dur comme fer qu'il faut restaurer le fer forgé. :-)
Je connais aussi un monsieur Alphand mais ce n'est pas le même, il s'appelle Luc. Il skiait bien à l'époque et il était super craquant. :-)

Bon et bien j'irai regarder toutes ces restaurations de mes propres yeux. T'embrasse.

Virginia said...

Peter, YOUR park is on the top of my new list, now that it has been restored for my next visit! :)
V

arabesque said...

now i know where you live! ^0^ kidding.
i'm beginning to sound like a stalker.
glad your pc is up and going again.
and i love this quaint neighborhood along the 17th,
and the paintings of these gr8 artists are something worth looking for.
Monet did a painting on too?

PeterParis said...

Arabesque: Monet did a lot of paintings in the neighbourhood, especially around Gare Saint Lazare, but not quite here.

Jeanie said...

Peter, I can see why you never wanted to leave. You find so much beauty, so much new, each and every day!