Paris Muse

Despite the July rain, Paris-Plages 2011 has just kicked off and runs until August 21. What some visitors may not know is that Paris-Plages is part of a municipal initiative to rehabilitate the old splendor of the Seine, which many feel was partly spoiled by the construction of the Voie George Pompidou, the expressway which runs for 13 kilometers along the right bank of the river. It’s also a way to help alleviate the summertime blues of those Parisians who aren’t able to escape to a seaside retreat during the months of July and August.

The Seine has played a central role in the history of La Ville-Lumière, and if you’re heading to the Paris-Plages events taking place in Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, be sure to check out Paris sur Seine, the free exhibition in the reception room of the Hotel.

The exhibition traces the history of the river over the centuries, starting with 15th-century maps of Paris, relating its story using film, prints and photographs. From the days of the first inhabitants who used it as a source of water and strategic encampment, to the shipping channel, to the sailors and their entertainment, to the commercial center, to the cinematic backdrop for many a modern narrative, the Seine is a multifaceted and glorious part of Paris’ history.

Some archival film footage of the Seine:

Practical information on the Paris sur Seine exhibition

Practical information on the 10th annual Paris-Plages

Photo: © Rue des Archives / AGIP

La Charge by Andre Devambez at the exhibition "Paris au temps des impressionnistes" at Hotel de Ville

Turn of the century Paris was tumultuous, vibrant and bursting with new ideas. The Paris of Haussmann, the Paris of Monet, Degas and Van Gogh. The period from the mid-1800s to 1914 was truly remarkable, and the salient artists of this epoch have left their indelible marks on the city.

La Bourse by Degas

Images in pastel, of the can-can, of revolution, la bourse, the streets, the stations, of the quotidian life of the city’s inhabitants — all marked a transition from an earlier focus on still life and portraits to fluidity and modern dynamism. The Hotel de Ville’s Paris au temps des impressionnistes, 1848-1914 (Paris at the time of the Impressionists) is a small, but remarkable exhibition organized with the support of the Musee D’Orsay, which is loaning out some of these masterpieces while it undergoes renovation. Included are works by Monet, Vuillard, Degas, Caillebotte, Jean Béraud, Jongkind, Lépine, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Signac, Luce, Bonnard and others.

Gare Saint Lazare by Monet

A curious fact is that in 1879, after the Hotel de Ville had been rebuilt after having been destroyed during the Paris Commune, Édouard Manet was refused permission to decorate one of its rooms. 130 years later the work of artists he influenced is being honored in the salle Saint-Jean of the Hotel’s premises.

At the Hotel de Ville until July 30th
Price: free

About the exhibition (in French, no subtitles)

Paris au temps des impressionnistes : l'exposition par mairiedeparis

Abelanet at l'Hôtel de Ville (photo: Déborah Lesage / Mairie de Paris)

François Abelanet is a French artist known for his anamorphic manipulations of landscapes. Anamorphic images — which are distorted images that take on recognizable shapes when looked at from a certain angle — have been popping up all over recently, and Abelanet’s particular brand of trompe l’oeil can be seen in its latest incarnation at the Hotel de Ville’s “jardin éphémère”. It is open to the public for free from June 24 to July 15.

Abelanet at l'Hôtel de Ville (photo: flickr @commentdire)

This large work of art, measuring 100 meters in length, is devoted to the theme of urban trees. Titled  “Qui croire?”, or, “Whom to believe?”, it shows the relationship between urban planning and nature. Its aim is to encourage us to appreciate the “fundamental place of nature” within the city of Paris.
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