Chapter 1: The Way Over
The first chapter discusses the types of people who came over to France in the early 1800's to pursue their artistic and intellectual dreams, and grow and learn from the culture. Some of these people included James Fenimore Cooper, the author of The Last of the Mohicans; Samuel F.B. Morse, a portrait painter; and Emma Willard, the first woman to take a stand for women's higher education. All of the people coming over had different interests or motives, but all were relatively similar in the fact that they did not know much about the language or culture they were about to immerse themselves in.
It talked about how they could take two different routes: a direct route to Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine, or the route to England and then across the channel to Calais or Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was really interesting to read about those places, because I have now learned about or visited all of them. At the early start of the church in France, we learned in religion class that there was a Le Havre branch that was one of the first. Also, when I went on a weekend trip to London, we took a ferry across the Channel the left from Calais. I liked being able to picture these places. Once the people arrived in France, one of the first landmarks they talk about seeing is the cathedral in Rouen. I also had the opportunity to see that, and share in their excitement. It is a very gothic, very large cathedral, and would have been very different than the things they were used to seeing.
Chapter 2: Voila Paris!
This chapter focused on the visitor's initial feelings when finally arriving in Paris. It seems that they went through a sort of cycle once they got here. They were shocked and maybe a little disappointed at what they saw. It was not entirely what they expected it to look like or feel like. Things were scary, and they didn't know how to say much. Eventually, they discovered the things like the Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre, Palais Royal, Montmartre, and the beautiful bridges, and realized how much they loved it. They also became more accustomed to the language and branched out into using sentences as opposed to just a few words here and there. They discuss the difference between French and American eating habits, how the French eat for the food, and Americans eat to fill the appetite.
I thought it was very interesting to see the similarities between how they felt upon arriving in Paris, and how I did for the first and even second time. The first ever time I was here, I was a little overwhelmed and not blown away by what I saw. I had a picture in my head and it didn't look like that. It has taken me all through this second trip to really SEE Paris, and it looks much more like the image I had in my head. I also struggled with the language, and was blown away by the bridges here. It's funny to hear about how the beggars are pretty much the same, and how much classier people seemed to dress even back then. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who has struggled coming to Paris, and I definitely won't be the last.
Chapter 3: Morse at the Louvre
This chapter is all about Morse and Cooper. Morse and Cooper were both very good friends, who had different interests and talents, but became very good at both of them. Morse was an artist, and the biggest achievement he worked on while in Paris was his painting of the Louvre. What he did was walk around the Louvre for days, picking out his favorite pieces. Then, he painted them as though they were all hanging in the same hall. He put together his own exhibit sort of, and it was a huge hit. Cooper used to come hang out with him in the Louvre all the time. Cooper himself was a writer. He was not very good at the beginning, and his first book was not a success. He gained success though with his book The Last of the Mohicans.
I liked reading about these two friends. They were different, but managed to get along and support each other in their talents. I especially liked hearing about Morse and his painting, because it is somewhat like the project we had to do for French class. Although he didn't have to analyze each painting and explain why they were put in the same exhibition, he went through and picked ones that he though should go together just like we had to. It is often hard for me to put time into perspective, especially with how old art is. Hearing about him painting them makes them seem new enough for me to wrap my head around, but still old enough to be impressive. I didn't like reading about Cooper as much, because I have never read that book, and the movie version confused me.
Chapter 4: The Medicals
This chapter was all about medicine, hospitals, and the Ecole du Medecin. Back in the 1800's, Paris' medical system was much more advanced and larger than most anything in America. The chapter before talked about the outbreak of cholera and the devastating effects it had on the people of the world. Paris hospitals treated close to 6,000 people, whereas hospitals in the U.S. treated only about 800. There were more hospitals in Paris, and they were all free of charge. The Ecole du Medecin was the largest school of medicine and much more advanced than in America. There wasn't actually much schooling going on in the U.S. at that time. It also talks about a man named Mason Warren, who was one of the best surgeons and doctor's in Paris at the time. He was renowned, and was also an instructor at the Ecole.
I was always under the impression that America was really advanced when it came to medicine and schooling, but apparently that was not always the case. It was very interesting to see how far along France was before America even really had any schooling for medicine. The parts about the bodies and the diseases that killed so many people was pretty gross and disturbing, and overall these two chapters combined has made me that much more grateful for modern medicine.
Chapter 5: American Sensations
The two men who were mainly highlighted in this chapter were George Healy and Samuel Morse. What we learn about Healy was that he came to France with the intention of being a master of portraiture. He was very talented and well received, especially for an American. He followed in the footsteps of and learned from Thomas Couture, and they became good friends. He painted the portraits of King Louis-Philippe, President Andrew Jackson, Foreign Minister Francois Guizot, and John Quincy Adams. Morse on the other hand, who had also travelled to Paris to practice painting, never made it as an artist. He was not very talented and eventually gave up. However, he would become known for something truly groundbreaking: the Morse code system, and the invention of the telegraph. He was disappointed by art, but created something that would last for years and change the lives of many people.
I was a little bit sad reading about Morse. He was so passionate about art and painting and he really gave it his best effort. I don't actually know what made him decide to invent the telegraph. It seems really strange that he would go from art to something so mechanical, but maybe he just wanted a complete change because art made him sad. It is sad to think that sometimes your passions may not be the same things as your talents. It was funny though, because the whole time I though he was the same guy who invented Morse code and the telegraph, but I was confused because he was being described as a painter. I had no idea that he was an artist ever in his life, or that he traveled to Paris.
Chapter 6: Change at Hand
This chapter is about the end of monarchy in France. The year was 1847, and Louis-Philippe was king. Not many French citizens liked him, and there was actually a lot of revolting and complaining. However, when the American minister came to Paris, he was surprised at how clean and nice and peaceful everything was. It didn't seem like there was that much of a problem. But, little did he know, that the economy was in a bad state, and the gap between the rich and the poor had become extremely large. Taxes were high, and people were just generally unhappy. The leaders in Paris didn't think that much would happen, but they were warned by Tocqueville that they were "sleeping on a volcano". The change that happened was very rapid and it happened faster than they thought. There were riots and barricades, and people were killed in the gunfire that ensued. Just the next day, Louis-Philippe abdicated the throne, and fled to England. He was the last king of France.
I did not know when the last monarchy was in France, or when it ended. Nor did I know who the last king was. It was a very educational chapter that really informed me well on what events took place that changed the whole governmental system of France to be what it is today. They mentioned Hotel de Ville, which is the center of local government right now, and very close to the institute. I have never been inside, but it was cool to realize that it has been a governmental building for centuries, and not just recently.
Chapter 7: A City Transformed
After Louis-Philippe fled, Louis Napoleon, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte became the "prince-president" of France. He held many parties, was exiled twice, spent time in America, and escaped from prison. He was known as a bit of a womanizer as well. After a little time with things being relatively okay, he suddenly held a coup, and forced himself into power as the dictator Emperor Napoleon III, which began the 2nd empire. Apparently I was wrong about the end of the monarchy in France... You might think that the people would not be okay with this, but they voted in approval of this coup d'etat. Some people were very outraged however, including Victor Hugo who exiled himself to the Isle of Guernsey.
I learned that Napoleon III was the one who implemented many of the things about Paris that I love. For example, the radiating streets that surround the Arc de Triomphe were built by him. I love that part of Paris, and the view of all the streets from the top is fantastic. He really wanted to beautify things in Paris, and I appreciate that. I don't know if I would have cared that much if I was an actual citizen and resident here, but as a visitor, I appreciate a lot of the physical and structural changes he made to the city.
Chapter 8: Bound to Succeed
One of the men talked about in this chapter was named Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He was one of many people who came from America "bound to succeed" as the chapter title suggests. He was determined to make it as an artist, and nothing would stop him. More specifically, he wanted to be a sculptor. He was born in Ireland, but his family moved to New York when he was young. He started working at the age of 13, helping out at a cameo cutting shop. He was extremely talented, and loved working and taking classes in Paris.
This chapter also mentions the world expo, where many inventions and artists were put on display. I would have loved to see a world exposition. It sounds so exciting! All those extraordinary people and ideas, and people from all over the world would be there. I can't believe that something like the Eiffel Tower was at the world expo. First, that seems like a huge project just to have around for only a few years. But also, it is now an incredibly famous monument! I can't even imagine what it would have been like to see something like that when it was first made. It would be a great story to tell.
Chapter 9: Under Siege
The most interesting thing from this chapter was reading about how the Germans imprisoned all of Paris. It was the start of the war, and once it started, all of Paris turned into a "prison camp". No communication went in or out and people didn't go in or out. People were starving and dying but could not do anything because the entire area was surrounded by guards. They were up and down the streets and on the borders so no one could escape. People were constantly being accused as spies. George Healy became a generous helper to those in need, as well as Elihu Washburne. He was in charge of helping people get out of Paris, and helped many Germans escape to freedom. His family was poor, and he never forgot the example of hard work he had been given growing up.
This whole section of the book reminded me of Berlin and when the Berlin wall was built. It was a similar situation, in that people couldn't go in or out, and they were literally trapped. I guess the only difference was that this was not meant to be long term (I don't think) and there was no physical wall keeping the people in and out; just a wall of soldiers. It was cool to read about the area near the Bois de Boulogne, because that is where I am living right now. I think it would be really weird to see so many guards and soldiers around, however when there are soccer games here, there are many many police officers out with their full gear, and I can kind of imagine what it would have been like.
Chapter 10: Madness
Eventually, after the blockades of Paris, the Germans demanded a surrender from Paris. They promised that if Paris surrendered and gave up all their arms, they would not invade the city. The Parisians didn't have much of a choice. The areas of Alsace and Lorraine were turned over to Germany, however, as they were right on the German border. It was really neat to read about that, because we just visited Alsace. When we were there, I could definitely see and feel the German influence on the town. Much of the food was German, street signs and town names were in German, and I'm sure most people there speak German as well as French. It was really fascinating because now it is French, and probably will be forever, but at one point for however long, it was German. I feel a little bad for that town being passed around so much.
Another key point from this chapter was the Paris Commune. The commune was started when the citizens of Paris turned on each other. There was extreme violence against the war generals, and rioting and killings occurred at Montmartre. That was really the starting point for it all. The Paris Commune was a group that forced themselves to be in charge of Paris. They were "devoted to politics more representative of the will of the people". There were many protests, and general chaos overall. This whole thing sounded really confusing and frustrating. I don't like protesting or rioting, and I'm glad that it doesn't happen as much today as it has in the past. At least not in such a violent way. Paris just sounded like it was really out of control, which is really scary to think of.
Chapter 11: Paris Again
This chapter mentions the gift of the statue of Liberty from France to America, and why they did it. The French people really loved America and Americans, and really liked the idea of the American Republic. That form of government really appealed to them. In order to keep good relations with the U.S., they decided to create a monument called Liberty Lighting the World; also known as, the statue of Liberty. The French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi designed it. I knew most of these facts about Lady Liberty, but what I didn't know was that there were so many copies of it around Paris. It was really cool to see the large one in the 16th arrondissement, and the smaller one in the Jardin du Luxembourg. I have heard there is one more, but I'm not entirely sure where it is.
Another thing mentioned in this chapter was the impressionist painters. Mary Cassat was intrigued by artists like Degas, Monet, Renoir, Manet, and many others. She thought their style was extremely interesting but also a little strange. She ended up copying their style eventually. Her first impressionist piece was a portrait, and after that she really liked the influence of Velazquez. I, too, am a fan of impressionism. It seems funny to me that at the time, that was what was considered "modern art" and now we look at it as something that happened so long ago.
Chapter 12: The Farragut
I liked this chapter because it talked about the romantic love story between Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Augusta Homer, otherwise known as "Gus and Gussie". Both were American artists, and they fell in love while in Rome. Gussie wrote letters home to her mother describing how much she really liked Gus, and once it was official, Gus wrote to her parents asking for her hand in marriage. They were mainly okay with it, but did not approve the marriage until Gus got an art job that would bring in lots of commission. This is where the Farragut comes in. Gus was asked to create a memorial to Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a Civil War hero. It was a big job, and Gus was lucky to be chosen. Gus made a large drawing of him, as well as a bust. He was successful, and was able to marry Gussie. A quote I really liked from this chapter is "His career and his marriage were riding on it. And he got it." I was so happy to read that! I really like Gus from his description in this book, and so I was really happy to hear that it all worked out well for them. Also, I think their names being so similar is strangely cute too.
Chapter 13: Genius in Abundance
This chapter dedicates a section to the 1884 Paris Salon. The Paris Salon was an exhibition that filled 31 of the giant rooms in the Palais de l'Industrie. There was a huge number of painters and other artists represented in the Salon, and it was extremely important to their career to be featured there. It was especially important to the American painters who became very prevalent in Paris. There were paintings on every wall, but the main painting that was talked about the most was the portrait of Amelie Gautreau. It was not received very well at all, because although she was dressed fully clothed, it showed her in a rather erotic way. Eventually it became popular, but after Sargent, the artist, had renamed it Madame X. We have talked about the Salon many times in Art History class and what works got accepted and rejected there, and I would love to see that painting in person to put it in perspective.
This chapter also talks about the Eiffel tower and it's being built. The tower was being built for the World Expo, and it was originally thought to be ugly and dangerous, and too large. It was also not meant to be permanent, but taken down sometime in the future. It was going to be the highest edifice ever built, which was definitely something impressive. I am really glad that it ended up being a permanent thing, because it is definitely iconic and one of my favorite monuments in Paris.
Chapter 14: Au Revoir, Paris!
This chapter was essentially a chapter about even more people who have come and gone from Paris. There have literally been so many people who made a permanent home, or just went for a visit to gain some experience, and who have become a household name. George Healy, who we read about earlier, eventually returned to America for good, settling down in Chicago with his wife Louisa. Unfortunately, also in this chapter, it talks about problems with Gus and Gussie's marriage. Gus had family issues that took a toll on him, and there was also rumors of an affair. They both struggled with health but still traveled back and forth from Paris to New York fairly often.
The thing that I really took away from this chapter could be easily summed up in one quote that was said about Healy, by his granddaughter Marie de Mare: "His love of France and the French never changed him from an out-and-out American." That is how I feel about my experience here in Paris. I think I have grown to really love it, and I have learned so much about it, but it has also made me really appreciate being an American. Another quote that I liked says, "Live all you can. It's a mistake not to. It doesn't matter what you do- but live. This place makes it all come over me. I see it now. I haven't done so- and now I'm old. It's too late. It has gone past me- I've lost it. You have time. You are young. Live!" I feel like this is what I decided to do by coming to Paris, and I intend to hold that with me as I go back home and continue my life. I need to hold onto the things that I have learned and felt here, and go back home and LIVE!
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