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  • Eye Prefer Paris is an ex-New Yorker's insider's guide to Paris. Richard Nahem writes his blog from his fabulous 18th century apartment in the fashionable Marais district of Paris

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March 30, 2010

Comments

Mike Drips

After much Googling, I found this for photo number three of the above statues:
Paul Dubois's sculpture, Le Chant (Song) was erected on the main facade of Opéra National de Paris Garnier, between 1860 and 1869.

Hanging over Le Chant is Charles-Alphonse-Achille Gumery's medallian of Giovanni Battista Pergolèse. Pergolèse, or Pergolesi(1710–1736) was an Italian composer, violinist and organist and one was one of the most important early figures in opera buffa (comic opera).

Helen


This is so lovely...you just keep sending such marvellous stuff! Thanks again and again...getting Eye Prefer Paris is always the pleasure du jour.

Richard

thanks Mike for researching that for me.

Claudia Budow

Dear Richard,

I have included information regarding the various sculptures and figures. It was found on Wikipedia. Hope it helps!

love,
Claudia B.
**********************************
Palais Garnier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Palais Garnier
Building
Former names Académie Nationale de Musique - Théâtre de l'Opéra (1875-1978),
Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris (1978-1989)
Alternate names Opéra de Paris,
Opéra Garnier,
Paris Opéra
Type Opera house
Architectural style Neo-Baroque, Beaux-Arts
Location Place de l'Opéra, Paris, France, Europe

Construction
Started 1862
Inaugurated 1875
Height 73.6 metres (241 ft)[1]
Other dimensions 172 metres (564 ft) long
125 metres (410 ft) wide[1]
Floor area 11,000 square metres (1.1 ha)[citation needed]
Design team
Architect Charles Garnier

The Palais is opulently decorated with elaborate multicolored marble friezes, columns, and lavish statuary, many of which portray the deities from Greek mythology. Between the columns of the theatre's front façade, there are bronze busts of many of the great composers, Mozart, Rossini, Daniel Auber, Beethoven, Meyerbeer, Fromental Halévy, Spontini, and Philippe Quinault.

The central roof group, Apollo, Poetry, and Music, was the work of Aimé Millet. The two gilded figural groups Harmony and Poetry were both designed by Charles Gumery, and the two smaller bronze Pegasus figures at either end of the gable are from Eugène-Louis Lequesne. The facade incorporates major multifigure groups sculpted by François Jouffroy (Harmony), Jean-Baptiste Claude Eugène Guillaume (Instrumental Music), Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (The Dance, criticized for indecency), Jean-Joseph Perraud (Lyrical Drama), and other work by Gumery, Alexandre Falguière and others.

The interior consists of interweaving corridors, stairwells, alcoves and landings allowing the movement of large numbers of people and space for socializing during intermission. Rich with velvet, gold leaf, and cherubim and nymphs, the interior is characteristic of Baroque sumptuousness.

The ceiling area, which surrounds the chandelier, was given a new painting in 1964 by Marc Chagall. This painting proved controversial, with many people feeling Chagall's work clashed with the style of the rest of the theatre. (It was also installed directly onto the old mural, thereby destroying it.[citation needed] The combined weight of both canvases has caused the 19th century adhesives to fail over time.)

Apollo, Poetry and Music roof sculpture by Aimé Millet

Apollo, Poetry and Music; Apollo's lyre detail

Liberty roof sculpture by Charles Gumery

Lyrical Drama façade sculpture by Jean-Joseph Perraud

The Dance by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Bronze busts of Beethoven and Mozart on the front façade

The Foyer de la Danse

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