Wednesday, I went to a place I have been dreaming of ever since I really started learning about art history. It's where all the artists lived and hung out during the late 1800's, early 1900's.
Artists like Toulouse-Lautrec,
Picasso,
Modigliani,
Monet,
Manet,
Renoir,
Dali,
Van Gogh
and Degas.
Most people are familiar with the Impressionists movement and era...well, it all happened and started in Paris, France! So, needless to say, as an artist - and aspiring professional artist at that - I was highly looking forward to wandering the same streets as the great artists of one of my favorite eras in art history. They completely changed art and the direction of art as it was during their youth! They were radicals and rebels and went against everything they were taught in art school ('cause they were all classically trained and when they started evolving as artists, they used the techniques they were taught by the classical teachers and manipulated them to radical new ways!) This place is called Montmartre & Pigalle. The artists that lived in the Bohemian lifestyle and all that surrounded that lifestyle lived here!
Now for some photos...(finally!)
Street markets filled with loads of sights and sounds, and the Basilica Sacre-Coeur (Sack-ra Coor) and which means Sacred Heart, is massive and sits upon a huge hill. There are tons of steps, but, the view is AMAZING!
* Parenthesis here: Sacre-Coeur from my guide book states that it sits on the highest hill in Paris and was built as a memorial to the 58,000 French soldiers killed in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) and took 46 years to build - it was completed in 1923 and cost 6 million euros. Priests still pray for the souls of the dead here 24 hours a day (what a job, eh?) The interior was less than impressive, though.
The view from Sacre-Coeur! And this is just a snippet of it all! I was interrupted by an Italian/Brazilian artist named Dino who gave me a free character sketch...well, a double cheek kiss and a smile was what it cost (not his usual fare, but apparently, the Burkhart beauty just stunned him so much!) I will have Brandon scan it in and post it in the near future!
Sacre-Coeur and it's architecture at the doors...
These doors were HUGE and the detailing was very impressive.
Can you see the Gargoyle? They were all over...It is such a HUGE building that it was hard (with my current camera lens) to truly focus on them individually, which I will hopefully one day do. They were really fascinating.
Sacre-Coeur from a side street walking towards the artist market.
Side streets are obviously flocked by tourists and well, artists. There are also a lot of corner cafe's.
It's tough to see, but there is an artist standing with this group as one of them is being sketched, right there on the spot. Takes maybe 8-10 min and they're really beautifully done. I'd say, stay away from the pushy Italians though. They weren't at all like Dino. The last one kept saying he loved my nose...then said something about Barbara Streisand. Nice.
This is looking through the center of the square made completely by artist "stalls"...in the very center is a restaurant/cafe...It's incredibly impressive and quite amazing to surround myself in. Only problem is, the tourists. Yes, I know I'm technically one, but I didn't want to see them. And I know that's how the artists make their living, but still. They were in the way of my photos.
Here's a couple sitting in the middle restaurant/cafe...
A mime. He was funny. I had to stand far enough away 'cause if he saw me he would turn his back/face. I saw some girls want to take a photo, but he wanted money first. He taunted them and before they could do anything, he would sassily turn his head away from them with a pout.
The following are just some buildings around the area of this center artists market...some are restaurants, others shops and galleries while others are homes.
Being that this area is very much an artist area, I noticed a lot of "art" on the walls or windows. Above the blue door in the window, is some art.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Absinthe (or called The Green Fairy) was an anise-flavored spirit made of herbs with a really high alcohol content (45%-74% ABV) that the Bohemians and artists drank a lot of. It was banned for many many years and I think just recently became legal again. This piece of art seems to be all about Absinthe!!! (Grandma, no worries, I won't be tasting it for my Parisian research!!!)
I found these three "cartoon" graffiti not far from each other. I'm guessing the first one is an Asian? or a boxer with a kebab. (As you can tell, I really have no clue! I'd LOVE your suggestions of what you think it might be of!!!) The second one looks like a warped Wonder Woman or a Texan with a big hat. I'm thinking the former. And the third looks like Mini Mouse to me. I could be wrong.
One sees that "Do Not Enter" sign a lot around the city. This one was painted on a double door to an apartment building. There were words written in foreign languages on it too, unfortunately it really didn't show up that well. I'll have to go back.
Then you get the art from the various cafe's around. This one was outside the cafe I ate lunch at. I'm guessing it was established or built in 1672...but then again, I could be wrong! The inside did look quite quaint and like it could be set still in the mid 19th century!
Motorcycles and scooters are found all over in Paris.
This old man passed me and said something in French and pointed through the wrought iron fence that surrounded this garden...that's where I saw the cat. He just pushed open the gate and grabbed this white cat and plonked it on the retaining wall...I love his joyful expression as he "assisted" a tourist photographing his city. He then walked into the building....where others were looking out at me.
If you can see above and below this window, it's falling apart. Thus the wooden braces. It's quite wild to see the gorgeously elaborate buildings and turn the corner and see this.
No matter if one lives in this ornate building or the plain one where the door needs a new coat of paint, a balcony with flowers does the trick. Very French.
A Parisian saying "hello!"
Some church I stumbled upon. I believe it was Greek Orthodox.
***
So, I'm walking down this side street and see older women standing in doorways and I realize I'm entering Pigalle. Pigalle was once known for dance halls and cabarets, but has now been taken over by your typical 21st century sex shows (and what I'm assuming, prostitution...but, I could be wrong, it just looked really weird and very shady.) I wanted to see Moulin Rouge, the most famous belle epoque dance hall, for myself because I know it was a big part of Parisian history, especially during the time where the most famous Parisian art was created. Toulouse-Lautrec made some beautiful art which revolutionized screen-printing styles, and they were mostly of dance halls late at night. The group of people in the top left photo were a tour group from Germany and all were old. They all had their cameras out and were "gawking" at well, the right photo. It is odd to see this dance hall/windmill still up, it seemed very displaced with today's society. There is still a Moulin Rouge style dance/cabaret shows performed here, so it surely did have a huge impact with society to still be around, though it's probably more tourists watching the show rather than Bohemians and local artists. There is only one other windmill still around (which I do not have a photo of, yet). There had once been more than 30 windmills in Paris, used to press grapes and grind wheat. During the siege of Paris in 1814, it's owner was crucified on it's sails by Russian soldiers. In the 19th century, it was turned into a dance hall, though now it's a restaurant (thus says my guide book.)
Voila. I hope you enjoyed looking at these photos, the Paris I saw through the lens of my camera.
