Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Sacré Coeur -- King Saint Louis IX, a different view


If you have been to Sacré Coeur en juin then you have an understanding of the crowds of people in/around this beautiful basilica. In reviewing my photos after the trip I realized that I opted to take the odd angles and small details rather than capture the rapping street dancers and the replica key chain hawkers. I did manage to capture some interesting people on the steps which I will share at a later time.

The above photo is one of two equestrian bronzes flanking the triple-arched portico. They represent France's national saints, Joan of Arc and King Saint Louis IX, both created by H. Lefebvre. King Louis IX is the only King of France who was canonized, and there have been many places named after this 13th century French king. St. Louis, MO in the United States is the most familiar to me but others include San Luis Potiso, Mexico, and Sao Luis do Maranhao, Brazil.

The detail in the bronze of King Saint Louis IX caught my attention with the spurs, the soft-soled shoes, the gentle drape of his leather cloak, and the filigree of the bridle. The perfect shade of bronze green is just as I snapped it and you may be able to see the bleeding of color onto the light-colored travertine stone base.
(Oh, and that is not a fly on my camera lens but an airplane!)

8 comments:

Shell Sherree said...

A different view and a very lovely one, Genie! How magnificent they are.

Virginia said...

I guess I've walked right by him several times and never stopped to appreciate the lovely details. Merci!
V

Bergson said...

j'aime bien le cadrage de cette photo

ton français est excellent

Loree said...

I loved Montmartre and Sacre Couer. Not sure I noticed the king too much. My husband is from St Louis MO and we lived there for a year before I dragged him back to Europe.

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Shell -- There is a great deal of detail to be found once you get over the fact that you cannot take photos inside

Virginia -- I do not think that I took a shot of Joan of Arc so.... another reason to return to Paris. I'll add that to my growing list!

Bergson -- Merci pour le nouveau mot: le cadrage

Loree -- small world, n'est-ce pas? I did not know about St Louis IX until I googled him. There are several places and a street named after him in New Orleans, LA.

Alexa said...

Wonderful details, Genie. One of my fave things in the Louvre is Louis' crown—which of course looks nothing like the jeweled ones worn by all the other kings of France. (But believe it or not, the plane was the first thing I noticed.)

Vagabonde said...

I think that this shows the population increase in the world, in a way. I grew up about 10 minutes from the Sacré Coeur and cannot remember many people on the steps up there then. But when I went a few years ago in summer it was unbelievable the numbers of people I saw. Last November when we were there again it was not so bad, I guess because it was not in summer.

M said...

Exquisite detail.