Friday, July 10, 2009

L'Espérance


If you happen to be in Paris these days (until the end of August) you have to stop by La Madeleine church. They currently have on display (all around the church) a few sculptures by Louis Derbré which are absolutely stunning. This one is called L'Espérance (hope), it is pretty tall and it's really beautiful.I must confess I did not know who Louis Derbré was, but I found out he used to "hang out" with Maillol and Rodin in the 60s, so no wonder he's talented! Have a look at some other photos I took there.

32 comments:

  1. The wide armspan indicates magnimousness. There should be birds in its arms - St. Francis-like. It's an interesting contrast to the classical columns. I'll check out the links later. The boss is coming.

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  2. Oops, I think I made up a word there. What I was trying to say was the statue conveys a feeling of magnanimity.

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  3. Marvelous, in all senses of the word. I love all the artistic activities that occur at La Madeleine. If I had experienced such things in church when I was a child, instead of the terror, people fainting from incense, guilt, and outright awfulness that religion meant to me, I might have turned out a decent human being. Well, maybe not.

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  4. I like magnimousness, Rimabirdgirl. But I don't think the statue looks like a big rodent...

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  5. It's really uplifting and I needed that today. I love the blue sky and the white clouds. If gives a feeling of hope and also tell me things will get better... with time. Thank you Eric.

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  6. Just beautiful, thank you.
    Graceful, peaceful. Great.
    Bonnes vacances Eric.
    We'll have the first one in common ;)
    Have a really nice time.

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  7. Jeff, I agree. By the way, I had that same religious upbringing as you describe. I used to faint a lot in church when I was a kid. Maybe it was the incense, although I rather liked it.

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  8. His sculptures are stunning!

    Wonderful angle on this one, Eric. I'm not religious by any means (unless saying OMG a lot counts) but I did get an instant sense of God and the heavens from this photo.

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  9. It is uplifting, for sure. Wish you well, Anonyme.

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  10. Oh God! I thought I was with Christ the Redeemer.

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  11. I saw this same Head sculpture in the Jardin the Luxembourg, I can only assume they are from the same author.

    Do you know if the sculptures are spread throught Paris?

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  12. Eric -- wonderful sculptures, terrific photo (comme toujours, quoi)!
    Jeff & rimabirdgirl -- I'm pretty sure we went to the same church!

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  13. Ay caramba! Sorry a throwback to my catholic school girl days. Nuns and rulers... Lol.

    'Mea culpa, mea culpa Grandmother. LOL

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  14. Not as spectacular as the little piece of art on the hill in Rio (wink Monica), but you've captured it perfectly Eric. Will have to check it out during this 4-day weekend (I had to get that in to make a few people jealous).

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  15. It worked on me, Michael—je vous envie for sure!

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  16. > Monica. You mean this one. You are so right and I am so ashamed I don't remember it - nor the name of the sculptor!

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  17. Fab Foto! Thanks for putting the full version of the statue on the link - these are impressive indeed. I also hadn't heard of this sculptor until today, but I'll remember the name now. Thanks.

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  18. Ok Michael you did it, we're all jealous - aGAIN. Is it today you're off and Monday or what? Go on, give us the details. Yawn. ;)

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  19. Here's a little giggle anyway, apropos nothing - sorry forgotten my instructions to make a link but -

    Oops Sarkozy smiles as Obama checks out the ... sights. http://www.bit.ly/knij2

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  20. Wondering about Maillol and Rodin in the 60s. Not familiar with these artists, please tell me more.

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  22. A beautiful sculpture and made even more so by your photo, Eric. Divine.

    rimabirdgirl/Jeff ~ LOL! "Magnimousness." I think I'll have to borrow this new word...

    Lynn, hee hee, what a photo! Perhaps Mr President was just cautioning, "Mind the step."

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  23. Eric exactly!!! We have almost the same photo, I'll post it on FB.


    Michael: wink back!


    Lynn I saw the photo of Obama checking that girl out. I just read in the papers that apparently that she is a 17 year old carioca girl (which means she's from Rio).
    Don't know if the source is correct!

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  24. Lynn, we have next Tuesday off for the 14th of July festivities, so of course, making "le pont" Monday is only reasonable.

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  25. I love the Obama photo. We're all human. In my teenage years, we called this 'gleeping'. I must admit I have some great photos from Paris and elsewhere of such...art of the people, shall we say. Just some of the bounty that lends pleasure to life on planet earth. (And Sarkozy's smirk is great.)

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  26. Eric, your photo is beautiful. I love the statue, and the setting couldn't be more stunning. I love how you captured the echo of the arc of the arms in the tops of the columns. I wonder if that was intentional on the part of the exhibitors.

    I can't believe I missed a day! Where have I been?

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  27. Great! Eric
    Composition and contrast.

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  28. Eric!!! I cannot tell you what this post means to me!!!
    I was in Paris in 2000 and happened upon these sculptures by chance. This was one of my favorite memories of my trip and my pictures of them were the best ones I took while I was there. I was mesmerized by them. I couldn't find anything there about the artist though, and for all these years have been sad that I didn't know more about them.You just gave me such a gift-- thank you SO much!!

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  29. what it is hope is just trust in what you want and continue the life waiting for the right moment

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