Just north
of the main entrance to the Sorbonne university and south of the medieval
building and museum “Hôtel de Cluny” and what remains of the Roman Baths (see
previous post), is a small park, called Square Paul Painlevé. (Paul Painlevé,
1863-1933, was a French scientist and politician.)
The square
was originally created in 1900 and 100 years later remodeled in a medieval
style, basically because of the types of plants and flowers chosen.
There are a
number of monuments, including a copy of the famous Capitolian (She-)Wolf,
given by Rome a few years (1962) after Paris and Rome were “twinned” in 1956.
Rome is actually the only city with which Paris is twinned ("Solo Parigi è degna di Roma; solo Roma è degna di Parigi"). I don’t know what Paris offered to Rome.
Another monument is dedicated to Puvis de Chavannes (1824-98), a major painter, who e.g. decorated part of the Paris City Hall (seee previous posts) and is represented by a number of paintings at the Orsay museum (see previous post).
A third monument and fountain is erected in honour of Octave Gréard (1828-1904), who was an eminent member of the Sorbonne University and initiated secondary education for girls.
If you look for fresh drinking water, there is a small model of the Wallace Fountains (see previous posts, here and here).
... and just outside the little park, in front of the Sorbonne University offocial entrance is a statue of Michel de Montaigne (1533-92), a statesman and author, probably one of the most influential Renaissance writers. His "Essays" established a new literary form. The sculptor is Paul Landowski (1896-1961), perhaps most well-known for Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (and present at several places in Paris, see e.g. here, here and here). Originally in marble, the statue is now in bronze in order to better resist against some students' practical jokes ... and their habit to touch his shoe, which is supposed to bring examination luck.
You may take this post as an introduction to what probably will be next one, about the Sorbonne University. We can see the main entrance behind the trees on the top picture.
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