Lion de Belfort's new dress
Saturday, October 24, 2009 Posted by Eric Tenin
If you came to Paris and visited Les Catacombes, you probably exited the métro at the Denfert Rochereau station. There - on the Place Denfert Rochereau - there is a famous statue of a lion (the lion of Belfort, by Bartholdi (the one who also made the NYC Statue of Liberty) that I already photographed once covered with snow. It's generally black (I read it was made of copper, but I am not 100% sure), but since yesterday, following a demonstration it is now orange; the demonstrators stuck dozens of orange stickers to it. I don't know how long it's going to last, but the stickers will probably be gone by Monday!
October 24, 2009 12:05:00 AM GMT+02:00
I'm sorry, but that's just a shameful way to treat the city's relics. They took your beautiful snow lion and humiliated him. Tarred and feathered for something he didn't even have a hand, or a paw, in.
October 24, 2009 12:34:00 AM GMT+02:00
I'm with Suzy. The lions's dignity has been unfairly compromised! It's kind of like dressing the dog up in a Santa costume and putting his picture on your Christmas card—the poor dog always looks so embarrassed. What was the demonstrators' point, I wonder? On the other hand, thanks for showing it to us. I never tire of knowing what's going on in Paris, even the silly stuff.
October 24, 2009 12:45:00 AM GMT+02:00
I'm sure the lion will survive this attack.
October 24, 2009 1:11:00 AM GMT+02:00
Do the stickers have any meaning, or are they just random stickers? Just curious.
October 24, 2009 1:22:00 AM GMT+02:00
That's a little nuts!
October 24, 2009 1:39:00 AM GMT+02:00
And then there is me, I think this is funny and quite decorative. As I live in the 'hood pretty regularly ,I have come to know and appreciate le lion. I think it is a nice change from his regular outfit.
Since a gazillion streets emanate from Lion central, I use his head to orient myself for one street, his backside for another, etc.
Hope the decoration lasts till Saturday so I can take MY picture.
October 24, 2009 3:39:00 AM GMT+02:00
And here I thought he was in his Halloween costume. His snow costume was beautiful.
Phx: I like your perspective regarding Lion central!
October 24, 2009 3:49:00 AM GMT+02:00
I love Paris. I do Eric. Only in Paris does anyone think to stick a zillion stickers on a lion and make him.....A leopard? I have no idea. I just LOVE the creativity that one sees all over Paris. I think I need to move! :)
V
October 24, 2009 4:26:00 AM GMT+02:00
I think it's hilarious. We stayed at the Marriott just down the street from there, and I would have loved to see the lion decorated!
October 24, 2009 6:11:00 AM GMT+02:00
I like the picture and I recognized M. Lion immediately from the previous photo. My first reaction was just like Suzy's and Alexa's. Then I read what PHX had to say. She's an honorary Parisienne because she spends so much time there. And Virginia's been there many times. I wonder if when one becomes used to Paris, one becomes able to step back with bemusement? Become a flaneur, so to speak? (sorry, no accents on my keyboard)
October 24, 2009 6:58:00 AM GMT+02:00
That's one sticky cat! I'm a purist I guess and prefer it sans stickers; however, I must admit it does grab one's attention and is a unique effect. Just please leave our lady liberty alone! She's fine without stickers or graffiti adorning her crown! ;-)
October 24, 2009 8:05:00 AM GMT+02:00
I have mixed emotions about this one. I think it's really creative, yet, I think the protesters really need to get back to work when so many would love to be working. On the other hand, I have no idea what the protest was about, so better keep my mouth shut. Maybe they were demonstrating against lion discrimination? Equality for leopards?
October 24, 2009 10:00:00 AM GMT+02:00
I can't reckon the orange stickers. But the few red ones are from the CGT (Confederation Generale des Travailleurs), one of the toughest workers unions. And Place Denfert-Rochereau is very often used for demonstrations.
I also have mixed feelings about this "stickers robe": I think it's a funny idea, and it's a better way to protest than breaking shop windows, etc... But on the other hand, I hope these stickers will not be too difficult to remove, and our Lion will soon recover his usual bronze robe.
October 24, 2009 10:02:00 AM GMT+02:00
Having checked on Wikipedia, it seems that Eric's right: it's copper, not bronze ;-)
October 24, 2009 10:32:00 AM GMT+02:00
Dear friends, do not worry
The Denfert lion has seen so many demonstrations I believe nothing can really alter it ;o)
The place has been the starting point or arrival point of thousands of demonstrations, most of them have left their mark on the statue
marks were all quickly gone, faithful lion is still here!
It is just the way we live in our city, monuments are not so much like museum parts, they belong to our daily life
October 24, 2009 10:49:00 AM GMT+02:00
Reuters - October 22, 2009
The sculpture "Le lion de Belfort", located Denfert-Dochereau place, is covered by Continental tyre stickers during a demonstration against job cuts and to defend the industrial sector in Paris.
October 24, 2009 11:43:00 AM GMT+02:00
At first glance I thought - more Paris street art.
It's actually done quite artistically - gives Leo an rather exotic appearance, at least from a distance.
It's also about providing work for people. Certainly for those who have to peel all the stickers off.
October 24, 2009 12:15:00 PM GMT+02:00
How absolutely incredible! For a second I thought it was a leopard.
October 24, 2009 12:36:00 PM GMT+02:00
C'est different pour sur! Je pense que d'une, il survivra, et que de deux, il doit apprecier sa nouvelle fourrure!
October 24, 2009 2:38:00 PM GMT+02:00
It takes a lot of time to put the stickers on the lion...I wonder how long it'll take them to remove it.
October 24, 2009 6:10:00 PM GMT+02:00
Drummond, you are very droll, and you make a good point.
October 24, 2009 7:49:00 PM GMT+02:00
Hmm I don't approve of doing this sort of thing but it is quite artful!
October 24, 2009 8:42:00 PM GMT+02:00
I love this photo for its unusual and fun part.
This lion is majestic in any situation.
If only me, I'd have sent a zillion 'je t'aime' stickers to him instead of CGT ones ;)
A beloved lion deserves consideration, doesn't he?
October 24, 2009 9:08:00 PM GMT+02:00
Petrea Drummond is very often Drole, isn't he?!
I personally don't thing it's too bad as the lion has not been damaged and it's a fun way of attracting attention. Of course it costs public money to clean it up, but I have seen worse...
Besides, it allowed me to make a cool photo, so I'm pretty grateful!
October 24, 2009 10:26:00 PM GMT+02:00
It was fun to see this picture today, although not so fun to have been stuck in the traffic resulting from the demonstration on Thursday! I'm sure the lion will survive....
October 24, 2009 10:29:00 PM GMT+02:00
Bartholdi also did the fountain at Place des Terreaux in Lyon.
http://www-pnp.physics.ox.ac.uk/~miyagawa/photo/travel/lyon/fountain1.jpg
October 25, 2009 2:28:00 AM GMT+01:00
Before I read the comments, pros and cons, I'm sure, I will say that it's kind of neat to see him look a little different. It gives it sort of an actualized look.
But I do feel sorry for the poor schmucks who are going to have to clean all that up, and of course, at tax payers' expense.
October 25, 2009 2:34:00 AM GMT+01:00
t takes a lot of time to put the stickers on the lion...I wonder how long it'll take them to remove it.
Longer.
October 26, 2009 8:05:00 PM GMT+01:00
Wow, that had to take some time! At first I thought they had just draped it in a blanket.