Paris Reflections: Louvre / Arc De Triomphe Walk
Bonjour Paris continues its series of excerpts
from Paris Reflections: Walks Through African-American Paris, written
by two of our editors, Christiann Anderson and Monique Y. Wells. In
this article, Senior Editor Christiann Anderson walks through Louvre /
Arc de Triomphe Walk on the northwest end of the Champs-Elysées, an
area of spectacular architecture and glorious gardens.
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The 8th arrondissement has two of the most exquisite gardens in the city--those of the lower Champs-Elysées and the very upscale Parc Monceau--with a history of grand architecture to the royal family and subsequent leaders of France. It also has a rich history of many events relevant to African Americans. Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, and the Nicholas Brothers all performed at the Club des Champs-Elysées (now defunct). And acclaimed writer Toni Morrison received her Nobel Prize at the American Embassy (1st arrondissement).
Recently in the United States, thousands of Americans convened in Washington DC to pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s powerful delivery of his ''I have a dream'' speech. Fourteen days prior to Dr. King's address 40 years ago on 23 August 1963, African American writer James Baldwin, in support of King, organized and led a silent march on the Embassy in Paris. This major American Civil Rights march was joined by the painter Beauford Delaney and many other expatriate artists and writers.
The Louvre / Arc de Triomphe Walk will highlight some of the exploits of these African American performers, soldiers, painters, and writers, and many more. In addition to seeing some of the most celebrated monuments of the City of Light.
We begin at the Palais Royal-Louvre metro station. Exit the station at the Sortie "place du Palais Royal Côté rue de Rivoli" or "place du Palais Royal / Musée du Louvre". You emerge at the place du Palais Royal, a square that is often filled with youngsters rollerblading, sidewalk artists and "living" statues. Across rue de Rivoli you see the northernmost section of the Louvre. Cross rue de Rivoli, turn right and walk to number 107. This is the address of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, located in the Marsan Pavilion of the Louvre. (Directly across the street is one of the hundreds of McDonald's restaurants that have invaded France.)
This is one of the few museums in Paris that has exhibited the works of African-American artists. Ed Clark participated in an exposition of American painters here in 1955. Beauford Delaney's work was shown here during an exhibit of contemporary painting in 1960. Harold Cousins had the same opportunity to exhibit during a similar exposition for sculpture in 1962. And Raymond Saunders also participated in a collective exhibit here.
Retrace your steps to the passageway Richelieu (directly opposite the square onto which you emerged from the metro) and turn right to enter. As you walk through the passageway, notice that on your right huge windows afford a view of the splendid Cour Marly. On your left is a view of the Cour Puget. These courtyards have recently been covered with a modern roof to protect the sculptures from the elements.
Emerging into the Cour Napoléon, you immediately encounter the glass pyramids designed by the architectural firm of Chinese-American I. M. Pei. These provide a stark but beautiful contrast to the Old World stateliness of the Louvre, and also allow the public to "remain in touch" with the original architecture while enjoying the modern shopping facilities below ground. Pei's team completed the renovations to the Louvre in two phases, of which the pyramids and the underground shopping area were the first. African-American David Harmon worked on the second phase, the renovation of the Richelieu wing. Harmon was involved in the redesign of the Oriental antiquities and Islamic art rooms of the wing, which encompass over 4000 m² of floor space in the basement and on the ground floor of the museum.
The Louvre was originally a fortress with a central keep created to protect the westernmost wall of Paris. It was converted into a palace during the reign of François I and has been expanded and developed by subsequent monarchs, emperors and presidents up to the present day. It was made into a museum in 1793 during the French Revolution.
Many African-American artists have studied here: Rex Gorleigh, Archibald Motley, Palmer Hayden and Hale Woodruff are among them. Most of these artists came alone to sketch and observe the techniques employed by some of the greatest painters of all time. But some also took instruction here and elsewhere--Hayward (Bill) Rivers enrolled at the Ecole du Louvre (Louvre Art School) while Rex Gorleigh studied with painter André Lhote (who would use Claude McKay as a model in his atelier in Montparnasse). One African American--Henry Ossawa Tanner--had his painting Pilgrims at Emmaüs displayed here. In 1991, artist Faith Ringgold utilized the Louvre as a setting for her story quilts entitled Dancing in the Louvre.
Leaving the Cour Napoleon, walk under the pastel Arc de Triomphe (not the same as the one at the end of the Champs-Elysées, where this walk ends) into the garden where the Palais des Tuileries once stood. At the time of William Wells Brown's visit to Paris (1849), the palace still existed and Brown toured its rooms. It was the royal residence of Catherine de Medici and was destroyed during the uprising known as the Commune of 1871.
After passing the arch, turn left to follow the path to the Porte des Lions. You quickly come to an archway that is flanked by two copper lions in an advanced state of oxidation. This leads to the Hall des Lions, part of the Denon wing of the Louvre, where a permanent exhibition of African, Asian, Oceanic and American (North, Central and South) art was opened in April 2000. This collection will eventually be moved to the Musée du quai Branly, which will be entirely devoted to primitive art.
Retrace your steps, turn left and continue down the central path, pausing at the top of the short flight of steps that lead to the gates of the Tuileries Garden. The enormous Ferris wheel that was erected to celebrate the coming of the year 2000 has been such a success that its disassembly has been postponed until June 2001. Many in the city are actively campaigning to keep it operational until the end of 2001.
Beyond the wheel, note the splendid view of the obelisk, the Arc de Triomphe at the far end of the Champs-Elysées and the high rises of La Défense beyond. Then descend the steps and enter the Tuileries Garden.
Named for tile (tuiles in French) factories that were formerly located on this site, the original garden was designed in the Italian style for Catherine de Medici in 1564. Pierre Le Nôtre was chosen for this task. A century later, Louis XIV's minister, Colbert, commissioned Le Nôtre's grandson André to refurbish the garden in the French style in 1664. William Wells Brown visited it when he visited the palace, and noted the rows of trees that still characterize the garden today. James Emanuel was inspired by a walk in the garden to write the poem entitled The Boat Basin, Years Later. As you walk around the circular fountain, look left for a wonderful view of the Musée d'Orsay. Then continue up the central path.
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Christiann Anderson is the author of The Single Woman’s Insider’s Guide to Paris
