We purchased a two day museum pass for our final two days in Paris. This allowed us to obtain a slightly speedier entrance to some of the main attractions : Louvre, Arc de Triompe, D'Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral
Louvre - "An universal institution" :
The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a marble Hellenistic sculpture (unknown source) but dated to be 2nd century BC
So... lets all opine on why is this the most famous painting of all times ... so much attention and analysis have gone into this 500 yr old, relatively diminutive painting. The enigmatic smile, whore or pregnant noblewoman, golden ratio, yada..yada. Of all that's been postulated, I'm most intrigued by the idea put forth of hidden codes concealed in Mona Lisa's eyes. Apparently, with high powered magnifying glass, Italy's National Committee for Cultural Heritage have discovered her right eye features the letters "LV" and the symbols in the left eye appear to by either letters CE or B. The arch of the bridge in the background is said to contain the number 72?? Could these codes id the actual person or her relation to the painter LdaVinci? The mystery deepens ...
The "original" of the work by David - Coronation of Napoleon. (Copy was seen at Versaille) Apparently, Napoleon wished that his painting would be the largest work to date, however, the one below "The Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese is actually slightly larger.
Cupid & Psyche per Greek mythology - this is at the moment that Cupid discovers that Psyche has opened the forbidden box of beauty and plunges into a deep sleep.. Cupid saves her with his arrow and they later live happily ever after...??
Venus de Milo - ancient statute of Aphrodite carved by Alexandros, a scultor of Anticoch about 150 BC, it was found on the Aegean island of Melos in 1820
The Virgin of Chancellor - Van Eyck
The Lacemaker - Vermeer
Gabrielle d'Estrees & Her Sister (unknown)
Huge Tapestry hanging in Napoleon's apartment
Art entitled "Twisted Dump Truck"
Residence of Napoleon III (nephew of Napoleon I) was decorated more opulently than Chateau Versailles
Le Code de Hammurabi - amazingly well preserved as this Babylonian law code dates back to about 1772 BC
Tuileries Gardens
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Arc de Triomphe Champs-Elysees
View from the very top of Arc de Triomphe
Climbing the Spiral staircase up and down the Arc de Triomphe
For only 1.70 euros you can rent the bike for a day in Paris & ride & drop at various locations
Sister Therese Martin was featured in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The youthful backpackers travelling Europe would find inspiration in her life. She embarked on a pilgramage to Rome from her birthplace in Normandy in 1887. After discovering the "great of this world" she saw the banity of titles and discerned the change between "seeming" and "being" and understood "true greatness is to be found in the soul, not in the name" .
Interestingly, re priesthood, she noticed that even the most "saintly... are nevertheless weak and fragile men" and at that moment understood the vocation to pray particularily for the priests...;o;
We rode the bike along the scenic Seine to Musee D'Orsay
Unlike the Louvre, the D'Orsay did not allow picture taking for the Impressionists collection
But some of the other realism works were breathtaking -ie this painting of Mme Pasca by Leon Bonnat
Our last nite in Paris! Dinner at the bistro suggested by Jen (Cy's friend) was superb! Thanks for the tip Jen, We would definitely recommend it to anyone finding themselves near the Eiffel or Invalide area
Steak TarTar - Magnifique!
