This scene may look like a painting, but it's a sculpture made by Raymond Mason, a sculptor of British origins who settled down in Paris in 1946. It's called "Le départ des fruits et légumes du cœur de Paris, le 28 février 1969" (the leaving of fruit and vegetables from the heart of Paris on February 28,1969). This "heart" he is refering to, is Les Halles, the central market of Paris that was installed in the center of Paris in... 1135! When it became too small, in the early 70's they transfered it to Rungis, in the suburbs of Paris. But the name Les Halles, still remains. BTW, you'll never believe it, but I did not find this sculpture in a museum, but in the Saint Eustache church nearby!
This is fantabulous! How large is it? Is it in the church for a special occasion?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, oddly enough, although I went by this church many times, I never got to go inside. It seems that when I was in the area never coincided with when it was open!
ReplyDeletecongrats, GF parisian heart!
ReplyDeleteHow nice that they put this in the church, where you don't have to pay to see it, and also nearby to what it depicts.
I really miss Les Halles since they tore it down—but I don't miss the rats!
Thanks, Alexa. And I agree that's it's nice for this to be in a place that doesn't charge for admission. By the way, how often are you able to go to Paris? It has been waaaay too long for me, and I miss it so!
ReplyDeleteYour comment about the rats made me think of "Ratatouille." I finally watched it recently. Primarily, I wanted to see Paris in it. :)
What a lovely sculpture. A remembrance of what use to be in the heart of Paris.
ReplyDeleteWell, this kind of sculpture is not my cup of tea but I find it pretty funny, and I like caricatures! Especially the man carrying the crate full of oranges!
ReplyDeleteTo take the picture as if it was a painting is a really good idea, Eric.
Oh I love this sculpture. It definitely shows a lot of Parisian heart!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have seen Les Halles. It must have been a remarkable place. I feel nostalgic for it even though I've never seen it.
ReplyDeleteThis artwork isn't to my taste but it's well done. It looks like it's in a dark place, or there's a curtain behind it. I like how that makes it stand out.
Mason's works in clay and I love his vivid colors and the distinct facial features of the people who populate his works.
ReplyDeleteThe "distinct facial features" of Mason's figures are intriguing, David. The fellow with the oranges above his head got my attention too, Guille.
ReplyDeleteSay Eric, where in St Eustache is this featured? I don't recall seeing it a few years ago. Is it a permanent fixture?
From a musician's perspective, I do love St Eustache for several reasons...its great acoustics, its world-renowned organ, and its musical history, including fellows like Berlioz and Liszt. If memory serves me, I think on Sunday eves in this church there are organ recitals or demos. Something to definitely check out if you are in the area.
Congrats GF Parisian Heart...considering the subject matter is the "heart of Paris" I think it is only fitting, eh? ;-)
Hey Soosha...yes, it was time to swap out the the profile photo.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what you're talking about. Did you see I got flooded today? Didn't even happen in my neighborhood in '93!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how the faces seem to have attracted everyone. I noticed that no one seems to be smiling! They're in Paris! How could they not smile?
ReplyDeleteGreat shot though, Eric!
And why did I picture you rolling your eyes at me like you would a 6 year old?
ReplyDeleteSoosha...seriously, flooded??? In my confusion I must have missed a post. I'll reread yesterday's and get back to you. My eyes are certainly not rolling.
ReplyDeleteSoosh...OMG! I just saw your posted photos of the flood. Truly upsetting. That's insane! I'm surprised you're even commenting. What's the damage to your place? My grandparents up in South Dakota were flooded in their lakehouse in the mid 90s and it was a horrible experience for all involved. FEMA was on the scene but it was a slow tedious process. I do send positive thoughts your way. Sorry to see this happening to you and your neighbors.
ReplyDeleteparisian heart -- was there in '97 (after about 25 years away), then again in 2002, 2005, and 2006. I'd go constantly if I had the euros and the time. Only get 2 weeks vacation ;~( and people keep asking me to go to Italy with them (I know, poor me). When were you last there?
ReplyDeletepetrea -- sorry you missed Les Halles. It was amazing. But it was a bit much if you were walking around there in the early morning and had a close encounter with someone with an entire half a cow slung over his shoulder. I did, and was off beef for a long time afterward! Nobody in this colorful sculpture with a smelly cow carcass, I notice.
Eric, I'm curious about the size of this too.
I remember when this happened. Everyone was sad and said Paris would not be the same; and the market would never be like it was ever again.
ReplyDeleteI remember the film "Irma la Douce" (1963) "Set in a shady district adjoining the wholesale markets of Les Halles, described in a dazzling opening sequence as “the stomach of Paris.” At one point in the film Jack Lemmon works in the meat market of Les Halles.
Oops, I forgot the part, Merci Eric for the history. I love it when you talk history. "This "heart" he is refering to, is Les Halles, the central market of Paris that was installed in the center of Paris in... 1135!" I knew it had been there a long time; however, not that long. I'm going to have to research this.
ReplyDeleteColtrane - Hey, you're right! I hadn't even considered the perfect "heart of Paris" connection! :)
ReplyDeleteAlexa, I was in Paris for six weeks in 1991. Then, during the 1992-93 school year, I worked as an assistante d'anglais in a lycee about eighteen miles from Paris. If someone had told me when I boarded the plane back to the U.S. that fifteen years later I would not have been back, I think I would have fallen out on the spot! So much has happened since then. Being around PDP has only intensified my determination and longing to take an extended trip to the home of my heart.
Lois, have you seen the film "Un long dimanche de fiançailles" ("A Very Long Engagement")? They recreated numerous scenes of Paris circa 1920, and Les Halles was one of them.
ReplyDeleteAwww Coltrane, thanks for the positive vibes but I don't need them. No damage to my place, all the damage was across the street. It's just crazy that we had flash flooding when we didn't see any flooding at all in my neighborhood during the great flood of '93! Come to think of it I will take a few of those positive vibes. Being stuck here all day with a 4 year old who's so excited about the flood he's bouncing all over the place has driven me crazy.
ReplyDeleteEric,
ReplyDeleteYou continually amaze me - I can't believe how many really interesting and rather off-beat things you find every day. Your posts are always SO cool! Keep up the good work!
thetravelgal in Minnesota
What fun to see a photo of this strange yet compelling sculpture art that I've seen up close at St. Eustache. It seems a bit odd to be looking at religious art and artifacts, then happen upon this piece, but that's partly why I like it. There's also a great Keith Haring triptych at St. Eustache; definitely worth a visit. Plus the big head outside of course.
ReplyDeleteParisian Heart, "Lois, have you seen the film "Un long dimanche de fiançailles" ("A Very Long Engagement")?" No I haven't seen it; Merci! I will watch it maybe next weekend. Because it's going to be my birthday ;-)
ReplyDeleteI was out shopping yesterday for birthday presents for myself. I was at the sales counter in a lingerie shop, and I asked the saleswoman how much was the garter belt? (Yes, I am from before the days of pantyhose.) Anyway, she said US$80.00; a woman standing close by said, "Oh, it must be French!" hahahahha I looked at the label, and oh yes, it is French. :-)
What fun! I missed this piece in St. Eustache, as I was enthralled with the organ and the lamps/sconces along the nave. Since this is the 'stomach of Paris', perhaps that should be the 'navel'. But I meant the musical organ! Sheesh, I know what you were thinking, you cheeky devils. And don't you love it when mignon madamoilles de Paris use phrases like "my cup of tea"? I love it.
ReplyDeleteAh, Travel Gal, you formally checked in! Bienvenue, and I ask all my PDP friends to welcome her, a friend of mine in Minnesota.
Very clever Jeff -- I always enjoy what you have to say.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Travel Gal -- cute profile photo!
Why did I first think of Carmina Burana when looking at this sclupture ?
ReplyDeleteThey didn't sell and even know oranges in the Middle Ages.
Though this looks SO medieval to me !!!
Welcome Travelgal. Congrats Parisian Heart. And, thanks once again Eric for an interesting, well-photographed, very Parisian shot that I bet is no where else on the internet! I'll be able to see this and maybe catch a concert as St Eustache all in one go. There's an Episcopal Church (Cathedral?) (Grace?) in San Fransisco that also has alot of art, including a Kieth Haring in it. Perhaps some churches decide they will support arts more strongly than others. This peice reminds me of an American artist whose name I don't recall who did paintings of Coney island and jazz bars and boxers. Maybe some of you will know him. I love the fact that the vegetables seem larger and more important than the people and that the people are descibed with respect and gravitas even while they're caricatures. I wish I could have seen Les Halles, too.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, "Perhaps some churches decide they will support arts more strongly than others." The Cathedral in NYC has one or more of my paintings, and so does a church in NYC. Both have huge collections of art I was told at the time. Not everything they own is on display.
ReplyDeleteLove it Eric! There's so much to see in this when you click on the photo. I like the guy with the red nose carrying the cauliflower and the other one peeking over to look at it!
ReplyDeleteJazzy new profile photo Coltrane. Just makes you want to say, "cooooool man"!
ReplyDeleteI like chard. I wish it wasn't tucked into the dead guy's arm.
ReplyDeleteAh, Les Halles and Saint Eustache. Looks like pretty much the same angle.
ReplyDeleteI thought of "Irma la Douce" also.
Nice photo of an eye-catching relief. I'm sure that the artist excelled at conveying depth. It looks about a foot and a half deep, but is not nearly so, I suspect.
I wish "Teddy Roosevelt," front and center, would stop looking at me that way with his coin-shaped eyes.
Great photo. I saw it when I was in St Eustache a coupe of years ago. There is also a Trypych by the American artist Keith Haring close by.
ReplyDeleteI have just finished reading The Belly Of Paris by Zola ( In translation) this is set in Les Halles and the descriptions of sights,sounds and especially smalls ( not all ofthem pleasant) are wonderful and a great read.
Jaq
Hey Tall Gary!! You were sooo absent lately.
ReplyDeleteHave to go. Will be back to write silly comments very soon. Don't worry :)
I was looking at this photo and thought: ... mmm... Where did I see that before.
ReplyDeleteNow I know!
St. Eustache is one of my favorite churches to visit.
Can't (quite?) explain why...
Maybe the light fall, maybe because you can hear the metro, maybe...
Just one of my favorite places in Paris.
Amazing piece of work.
ReplyDeleteGuille, you've covered yourself up, to the disadvantage of the world's pleasure.
ReplyDeleteAs a replacement for the view of the inside of a Japanese flute I found an old photo that's not too bad. it was taken quite a distance from les Halles, however.
Anonyme has not led us astray. Emile Zola's "The Belly of Paris" looks to be quite a read (he says having gotten through a few paragraphs of the beginning). A good way to flesh out this photo of Eric's.
I love the way Mason used only winter vegetables in his sculpture.
ReplyDeleteTravel Gal
I know what you mean because although I have been reading Eric's blogs for a long time he still manages to surprise me again and again.
Soosha
When are you adding that picture of yours on Owned... it is worth millions!
Coltrane
You are the coolest of the cool!
This is a wild church find! They all have mongo huge ears!
ReplyDeleteEveryone's changing up their photos. Coltrane is a very cool cat, guille has covered her beautiful face to everyone's displeasure, and gary has what I assume is the single most adorable granddaughter ever! Not that you look a day over 35!
ReplyDeleteThe sculptor didn't include mushrooms -- that's one of my visual memories of Les Halles, mountains of mushrooms of all varieties.
ReplyDeleteAs a student I worked a few nights in Les Halles, unloading. Then they found out I was étranger and that was the end of that. I became a pavement artist instead.
I like the woman in the green jackets botox lips...
ReplyDeleteUselaine, I love your description of the man with the chard...
But for some reason the more I look at this sculpture, the more I like it.
Bonjour,
ReplyDeleteJe regarde presque tous les jours votre blog. C'est un véritable plaisir. Votre billet est toujours bien calibré, pas trop long... il se lit sans difficulté. Vous trouvez toujours des choses originales à photographier.
Je vous remercie.
Bien cordialement.
Jacques
Tall Gary! We've missed you! A few days ago we discussed you endlessly, speculating on your whereabouts. I'm so glad you're back. Are you going to tell us about the pic?
ReplyDeleteWelcome, travel gal.
I love your Les Halles story, expat.
This is very cool! I vaguely remember Les Halles. To be honest, I remember much better the transformation of the neighborhood than what was there before. Great sculpture.
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous. What a find, Eric. I remember Les Halles. When I first came to Paris - when I was 17 (won't tell you how long ago that is) I remember going and eating onion soup after the theatre. Seemed it was 'the thing' to do in those days. Delicious it was too.
ReplyDeleteI love this sculpture. So much going on and the colors are great!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, Jilly. Soupe à l'oignon, moules mariniere, and steak tartare were served all night at restaurants such as Le Clef de Sol. Celebrities could often be seen at 3 am.
ReplyDeletelol! Rose, the only reason it's worth millions is because it's the only photo in existence where I actually look half-way cute!
ReplyDeletelol! Rose, the only reason it's worth millions is because it's the only photo in existence where I actually look half-way cute!
ReplyDelete"The bloke with the chard? 'e's not dead. 'e's pinin'. Pinin' for the fjords. Beautiful chard, the Norwegian Blue. Lovely colors."
ReplyDeleteThe painter you mentioned, Carrie , may be Paul Cadmus. (If our resident expert on 20th century art were not busy, she would have jumped on that reference.)
Wow I would love to see that in person, no offense thanks for the preview :) anyways I found a site that i think you might like its called, baraaza.com
ReplyDeletethanks ..
ReplyDeleteTo paraphrase suzy:
ReplyDeleteTall Gary!
Tall Gary!
Tall Gary!
Boy, have you been missed!
Jeff, he looks like he was permanently clocked in a boxing match. But his chard is so huge, it won't even stay upright.
ReplyDeleteClocked in a boxing match? That would explain his aptly located cauliflower ear.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, TG is back.
ReplyDeleteI've missed you, TG.
ReplyDeletecette scene est vraiment magnifique, elle fait penser a une peinture de style naive, et c'est assez surprenant de la trouver dans l'eglise Saint Eustache qui est assez traditionnelle comme eglise
ReplyDeleteI tried to take a picture of this sculpture several times and none of my shots turned out well. Thank you for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this in person several times and love it!! There is also a reproduction in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. I was walking thru that lobby one day and saw the repro and though to myself "wow, that look so familiar." I couldn't place it until I read the marker that talked about the original in St. Eustache which I had already visited.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this in person several times and love it!! There is also a reproduction in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. I was walking thru that lobby one day and saw the repro and though to myself "wow, that look so familiar." I couldn't place it until I read the marker that talked about the original in St. Eustache which I had already visited.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this in person several times and love it!! There is also a reproduction in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. I was walking thru that lobby one day and saw the repro and though to myself "wow, that look so familiar." I couldn't place it until I read the marker that talked about the original in St. Eustache which I had already visited.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this in person several times and love it!! There is also a reproduction in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. I was walking thru that lobby one day and saw the repro and though to myself "wow, that look so familiar." I couldn't place it until I read the marker that talked about the original in St. Eustache which I had already visited.
ReplyDeletewhere can I find this sculpture?? would love to see it!!
ReplyDeletePaul
ReplyDeleteIt is in Saint Eustache Church
2, rue du Jour, 75001 Paris
Metro Châtelet-Les Halles
RER Châtelet-Les Halles
Open daily.