Sunday, July 23, 2006

Au planteur


No, ParisDailyPhoto did not go to the Deep South to take this one ! It’s the decoration on an old building on the shopping street, rue de Montorgueil. I wasn’t able to find out more about its origins, but I imagine by the painting depicted, it once housed a coffee or sugar distributor. The writing at the bottom means “no subsidiary”, meaning you have to buy it here or nowhere else!
Of course you notice how derogatory this "advertisement" was towards the African population. Fortunately, this would not be possible today.

18 comments:

  1. Eric: It's one of the many many things I find so enchanting about Paris. The last time I strolled down rue Mouffetard, which I'd been down numerous times, I noticed for the first time a lovely bas-relief about #122 - La Bonne Source, a shop sign from a wine store (or so I've been told) that dates from 1592. I have a photo.

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  2. This is an interesting photo Eric. A sign I'd seen before, but never understood why it was there and looked so out of place. It's cool that they leave it there because I think if it were in the U.S., they'd have all kinds of protests, lawsuits, etc.

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  3. Very interesting. Have a nice Sunday :)

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  4. an interesting photo and a sign of those times - the faded colors really add to this interesting history

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  5. Interesting picture, Eric. Of course, I'm sure it was preserved for is historical value, not for the message it carries.

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  6. I think this advertisement and the history behind it can bring up an interesting discussion about issues of race today in either France or the US. Thanks for showing this Eric.

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  7. As an enthusiast for the cocktail, the word planteur conjures up for me that delightful mix of rum, passion fruit juice and grenadine sirop that translates as 'planter's punch.' And then I think of a beach in the French Antilles, with the sunset colour of the sky perfectly matching the cocktail. And then I think "Hmmm, the climate here in San Diego seems very tropical right now. Where's the grenadine?....."

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  8. Eric, that's an interesting find and lucky that it is not vandalized because of the picture

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  9. >>It's cool that they leave it there because I think if it were in the U.S., they'd have all kinds of protests, lawsuits, etc.>>

    I would say not, Michael. In my travels through these 50 states, I have seen such as this and worse, with and without signs to explain. It is important that this history not be forgotten.

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  10. Indeed, Ujima, because once we forget our history we will no doubt repeat it, and there are many bad things we definately don't nee to repeat!

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  11. Très chouette photo. Cette enseigne me fait penser à celle du Nègre Joyeux Place de la Contrescarpe dans le 5ème.

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  12. Wow, this is uncanny that you post this today. In church this morning two people shared about their recent trip with the Museum Without Walls (http://www.museumwithoutwalls.org/mww.main.htm)
    through the deep south, where they met with now-elderly US civil rights leaders in their quest for better understanding to further racial reconcilliation.
    -Kim

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  13. J'adoooooore Paris. Comme Venise.
    Bah! et ces photos me donnent envie d'y retourner...ce mois-ci ou le mois prochain.

    merci

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  14. Very best site. Keep working. Will return in the near future.
    »

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