
While walking in my neighborhood last week I kept seeing beautifully painted street art portraits with the title- Portraits du Grand Siècle du Marais.
Upon further research I discovered that the mayor of the fourth arrondissement, Ariel Weil, invited renowned street artist Christian Guémy alias C215 to paint a series of portraits of the great figures in French history who lived in the Marais during the 17th century. This period was the golden age of the Marais in terms of culture and art, and it was also the seat of political power. Starting with the reign of King Henry IV, from 1589 to 1610, the Marais became the cultural, intellectual, and social hub of Paris. The first literary salons were held in the grand mansions of the Marais inhabited by Paul Scarron and his wife, Françoise d'Aubigné, Madame de Sevigne and Madame de Maintenon. Other powerful figures of the period include Maximilian of Bethune, Duke of Sully, the Princess of Soubise, mistress of Louis XIV, and François Mansart, architect of the King Louis XIV and later Louis Le Vau.
The portraits are cleverly mounted on public electric boxes painted brown all around the third and fourth arrondissement. Below is a list of addresses and names of the boxes if you would like to view them.
1. Henri IV : à retrouver 15 boulevard Henri IV - 75004
2. Louis XIII et Ninon de l'Enclos : à retrouver 7 rue du Pas de la Mule - 75004
3. Maximilien de Béthune, Duc de Sully : à retrouver 47 rue Saint-Antoine - 75004
4. Mme de Sévigné : à retrouver 34 rue de Sévigné - 75004
5. Madeleine de Scudéry : à retrouver 2 rue du Temple - 75004
6. Mme de Montespan : à retrouver Place Monique Antoine - 75004
7. Mme de Maintenon et Paul Scarron : à retrouver 51 rue de Turenne - 75003
8. Simon Vouet : à retrouver 98 rue Saint-Antoine - 75004
9. François Mansart : à retrouver 8 rue Payenne - 75004
10. Salomon de Brosse : à retrouver Place Saint-Gervais - 75004
11. Molière et Pierre Corneille : à retrouver face au 28 quai des Célestins - 75004
12. Princesse de Soubise : à retrouver 41 rue des Archives - 75004
13. Philippe de Champaigne : à retrouver Place Saint-Gervais - 75004
14. François Couperin dit "Le Grand" : à retrouver 25 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe - 75004
15. Charles Le Brun : à retrouver 1 quai aux Fleurs – 75004
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Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more. In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.