标签 巴黎 下的文章
巴黎的先贤祠，法国 The Panthéon in Paris, France (© manjik/Shutterstock)
巴黎的先贤祠，法国 The Panthéon in Paris, France (© manjik/Shutterstock)
Under Paris skies
For Bastille Day, aka French National Day, we examine not the titular prison that was the site of beginning of the French Revolution, but another building inexorably wrapped up in that powder-keg moment of French history. That dome in the upper right portion of this photo is the Panthéon. Construction of the building—intended to be a church—began in 1758. But by the time it was completed, the French Revolution was in full swing and the new establishment decided that it should instead be used as a mausoleum for distinguished French citizens, which it remains today.
秋日里通往卢浮宫的杜乐丽花园，法国巴黎 Jardin des Tuileries in autumn leading to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France (© Brian A. Jackson/Getty Images Plus)
秋日里通往卢浮宫的杜乐丽花园，法国巴黎 Jardin des Tuileries in autumn leading to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France (© Brian A. Jackson/Getty Images Plus)
Paris is photo-ready this week
Today we're featuring an image of the Jardin des Tuileries and the Louvre to highlight the Paris Photo art fair happening through Sunday at the historic Grand Palais. Paris Photo is the world's largest art fair dedicated to photography. Since 1997, the mission of the fair has been 'to promote and nurture photographic creation and the galleries, publishers, and artists at its source.' Starting today around 200 exhibitors, leading galleries, and specialty publishers, along with Parisian cultural institutions, will give visitors a unique look at both historical and contemporary photographic works of art.
Peloton during the 2018 Tour de France in Valence, France © Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Peloton during the 2018 Tour de France in Valence, France © Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Racers pushing past sunflowers in the 2018 Tour de France
Cyclists have been competing in this prestigious, multi-stage race since 1903. The route is changed every year but always includes a mix of terrains and elevations, mostly in France. Originally conceived as a promotion for a newspaper, the Tour is now a worldwide sporting event that draws billions of viewers each year, making it more popular than the Super Bowl. Here, competitors are biking alongside the summertime sunflowers of southern France that are in full bloom during the race each year. This scenic image is a foil to the grueling duration of the race, which covers more than 2,000 miles over a 23-day span. Although athletes are organized into teams, the individual who completes the strenuous course in the overall shortest amount of time wins and gets a cash prize often shared with teammates. This year's race starts in Belgium and will pedal past the iconic sunflowers around stage 16 before coming to a stop in Paris.
Stravinsky Fountain in Paris, France © Alessandro Saffo/eStock Photo
Stravinsky Fountain in Paris, France © Alessandro Saffo/eStock Photo
A ‘circus of chaos’ for Stravinsky
The whimsical sculptures of Stravinsky Fountain in Paris are a bold, modern contrast to the Church of Saint-Merri, seen in the background of our photo today. The fountain—designed to inspire feelings of joy and playfulness—is a tribute to the groundbreaking symphonic composer and conductor Igor Stravinsky. Though he was born near St. Petersburg, Russia, Stravinsky wrote and debuted many of his career-making works while living in France in the early 20th century. It was this day in 1913 that Stravinsky’s ballet ‘The Rite of Spring’ debuted at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
The ballet, choreographed by iconic dancer Vaslav Nijinksy, was not well-received by traditionalists. Those who preferred classical ballet clashed with ‘bohemian’ members of the audience who openly embraced the modern performance. The fracas soon led to heckling of the performers and fights within the crowd. The ensuing ‘riot’ is something of a legend, with most historians agreeing that it wasn’t quite the spectacle that some accounts suggest. Still, it’s fun to imagine a ballet inspiring such a passionate reaction from the audience. Imagine if the ballet fans of early 20th-century Paris had social media…
