Devoir (pronounced: Dehv-wahr) is the verb for: To Must/To Have To. When used as a noun, it means: Homework. Yes, despite all my explorations I indeed have class and therefore have homework. My most difficult course is "Museums and Monuments," where we learn about Art History by actually traveling to different places and seeing historical art. Quelle Bonne Idée! What makes it difficult is the combination of my having never taken an art history course + the entire class is taught in very fast-paced French. But something struck me today: Why don't I use this blog to help me with my homework?
Alors, I will now go through my notes (scribbled frantically in half-english, half-french, half my own nearly illegible made-up note-taking language), and my photos to understand exactly what happened on our excursion to the Quarter "Nouvelle Athens" (New Athens). I pre-apologize if this is rather boring:
This is the Place Saint Georges. This Area was called "Nouvelle Athens" because the Grecian Revolution in the 19th century made Greece very á la mode (in the fashion, not ice cream) and also because this quarter was loaded with artists and intellectuals.
This shows a big melting pot of styles: The shape of the window, rounded arch, emulates the Roman Style Architecture of the 12th century. However, the inside window comes to a point at the top, and is very Gothique. Also, having statues and faces on the walls is a very modern style.
In the middle is a statue of Gavarni, a famous newspaper artist who loved this area. He also drew/wrote about several Lorettes (higher-class female dancers/singers/ and other unmentionable entertainment) which were popular in this quarter.
This area was originally used to park horses when entering these apartments in the early 1800's. Now in 2011, it's still used as a parking lot.
Gothique-Renaissance Architecture. Small, narrow building with 2 paned windows and a lace-like balcony. Each floor has a different design, which signified levels of nobility.
The Adjacent building. This is Haussmann-Style architecture. It's much larger than rest of the buildings and depicts Haussmann's wish for a "modernized" Paris near the end of the 1800's.
Neoclassical. Why?: 3 Arches (bottom windows), Columns, and Symmetry.
Chopin Lived Here.
Alexander Dumas Lived Here.
Notre Dame des Lorettes: Lorettes were often found living behind the large catholic churches. The Grecian influence on this architecture is very obvious, mostly because of the Corinthian columns. Also, apparently my professor said "Il fait beau aujourd'hui" and I decided to write "It is beautiful outside today." It was indeed.
Inside the Church: Several Ionic Columns represent emphasis on the female. There are also 4 sections of the church: Community, Marriage, Death, and the last one that I'm reading as "scribble scribble." Note to self: Write more legibly.
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