Cynthia Rose
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memory© Princeton University
Swordsman, tranny, soldier, spy
Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d’Eon de Beaumont (1728 – 1810) led a life that, two centuries later, still seems unbelievable. Author, master swordsman, diplomat and secret agent, he earned one of his century’s rarest distinctions: l’Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis. His life in Russia, Paris and London was also distinguished by the fact that he spent 49 years of it as a man, then 3...
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métier© Katharine Mac Daid
Hats off to heritage
Without hats, said Christian Dior, “we would have no civilization.” The legendary couturier was well aware of the hat as pivotal to le style anglais. In Paris, since the 1770s, these three little words have stood for elegance. It was around then that French aristocrats fell in love with the riding and sporting clothes of their British counterparts. Thet were celebrated for their expert tailoring, understated style a...
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memory© Sweet Memories of Arundel
Ils nous vendent leurs salades...sucrées?
Aujourd’hui, il faut qu’on parle d’une nouvelle entente cordiale grâce à la réception anglaise qui est maintenant accordée au chèvre – au plus exactement, au chèvre chaud. Étant donné que nous, les rosbifs, n’avons jamais été doués pour les salades et que nous avons déjà passé plusieurs siècles en gaspillant un grand patrimoine de légumes verts, a réussite anglaise de cette chose est d...
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memory© Maison de Balzac
Paris fashion's good time girl
Before the 20th century’s muse or supermodel, Paris fashion had its own special heroine. She was la grisette, a young woman who spent her life in the service of style. Grisettes made the dresses, lingerie and hats of Paris; they also created the laces, flowers and trim which distinguished them. Despite low wages and sweatshop hours, la grisette always found the time to dance and flirt. In the 1830s, she became a public se...
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object© Studio Harcourt
Paris retakes the photo
Every autumn, Paris holds a string of events intended to honor the art of the photograph. The largest are grand and official, such as Paris Photo at the Grand Palais, the Salon de la Photo at the Porte de Versailles and the Photoquai 2011 by the Musée de Quai Branly. The latter, free to all and open 24/7, is hosting work by 46 talents from 29 countries.
Alongside such sprawling shows are others in museums, galleries and fou...