Friday, July 24, 2009

When one door shuts, an other one takes the photo


I've passed by this door a thousand times maybe, but I never noticed how beautiful it was. It's only after I stumbled upon an article that I decided to take a closer look. This door belongs to the Invalides church, and it was fully restored last year after 300 years of good service (Louis the XIVth inaugurated it in 1706!). The letters "SL" that you can see several times stand for Saint Louis, one of our kings to whom the church is dedicated. Next time I will step inside (believe it or not, I've never been).

25 comments:

  1. That is a beautiful door. There is a Mission near me that is named for Saint Luis and I didn't get the connection until recently!

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  2. Ah, it's worth going in for a couple of reasons. One, the altar obviously is influenced by Bernini's baldacchino in St. Peter's in the Vatican (properly, San Pietro). Also, everybody's hero Nappy is buried there in a fascinating tomb. (Insensitive 'Caine!)

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  4. Muse: If you put a Y on top of the SL it would be the Yves Saint Laurent insignia wouldn't it? lol eek sorry very superficial. This is indeed very lovely, this door, exquisitely crafted.

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  6. Wow! I've never thought that I would say this about a door, but this is so gorgeous! So beautiful and with so much history behind. Wonderful!

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  7. Elegant photo, Eric. I hope you go inside and show us Napoleon's tomb. (Always have had a fascination with him.) Lynn, you're right about the YSL logo. Perhaps this is where they got the idea?

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  8. Very very beautiful, deserves to be photographed. Good for us!

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  9. Oh Eric! This is a fabulous picture - I thought I was looking at something in a museum! To think that you have such wonderful artwork right there on the street and anyone can approach and view it up close! How fortunate you are! How fortunate we are that you chose this door to take a photo of - it's breath-taking for me!

    Tomate Farcie - is that 'shiny' reference to Firefly by chance?

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  10. It's fabulously ornate and, if those trash bins are any indication, also huge! Definitely looking forward to your photos of the interior.

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  11. Wow—what an incredible job they've done with the restoration! Eric -- maybe you never noticed how beautiful the door is because it wasn't quite so shiny before they polished it up (you'd be dingy too after 300 years).
    Lynn -- if it makes you feel less superficial, my fashion-industry pals and I always referred to YSL as "St. Yves."

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  12. I'm surprised you have never been inside Eric! Especially the way you get around! LOL!!!

    I have been inside several times but I don't think those beautiful doors had been restored to that lovely, shiny luster yet! Merci!!

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  13. I am struck by the beauty of this door! I would guess this is the First Empire style, and will gladly be corrected if someone knows the definitive answer.

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  14. My sister took me to Paris a couple of yrs ago for my 50th birthday. I didn't have a camera, so I made my brother in law take pictures of all the doors we saw. There are lot of fabulous doors in Paris! I don't have this one, so thanks...

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  15. @phx-cdg, as Eric wrote in his note, this is Louis XIV style, designed 1706

    Empire style has no fleur de lis but bees, and definetely no L,which refers to monarchy ruled by kings named Louis
    Empire style is less adorned

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  16. Eric: I enjoy your blog and gave you a shout out on mine today at http://justanotheramericaninparis.blogspot.com/. Great minds think alike?

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  17. Wow, it is really a HUGE door!
    Very shiny and very Grand.
    I look forward to see your photograph from inside.

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  18. Beautiful doors. I've been there but never noticed the doors. I do know that the inside is gorgeous.

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  19. @JoyJoyWatson "Tomate Farcie - is that 'shiny' reference to Firefly by chance?"

    No, no, just shiny. Who or what is Firefly?

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  20. Thanks Alexa! lol that helps.
    You never know, Rimabirdgirl. Certainly similar.

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