While I was in Paris France, I thought it might be nice to sketch with the Paris Urban Sketchers, so I put out a request to see if they would be sketching the city while I was there. Sure enough they had a sketching event the week I was in the city.
While the surrounding neighborhood was heavily impacted by the persecution of the Jewish community, the square itself stayed largely intact. Place des Vosges is a perfect square, 150 yards by 150 yards. It is modeled on the piazzas that were appearing in Rome and Florence at the end of the 16th century, Place des Vosges itself became a model for the many squares that subsequently appeared in other European cities.
Place des Vosges in Paris did not suffer significant, lasting damage during WWII, as the city was largely spared from widespread destruction. While Adolph Hitler ordered the city to be left as a “field of ruins” in 1944, German General Dietrich von Choltitz disobeyed these orders to demolish key monuments and landmarks. Although explosives were placed under bridges and monuments, they were not detonated. While skirmishes occurred, particularly during the liberation in August 1944, the historic center and structures like those in Place des Vosges remained intact.
French author Victor Hugo, whose house is now a museum, once lived at Place des Vosges. His most famous works are the novels The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) and Les Misérables (1862). Victor’s home is in my sketch in the corner of the square.
The last time I was at Place des Vosges, an immaculately stylish couple was dancing flamenco under the arched colonnade that runs around the square. On this day however there was the constant treat of rain. I arrived a bit early and started sketching before the other Urban Sketchers arrived. About 5 or 6 sketchers gathered as I was working away. Another tourist like myself had decided to take time to sketch. She spoke English so I had someone to chat with when the sketchers gathered afterwards in a café to compare sketches. At one point the rain got heavy enough that I ran for cover under the colonnade. I used that time to put down a few watercolor washes. When the rain let up, I returned to my spot in the park.
I was most fascinated by the heavily manicured trees that surround the square. They are cut into perfect cubes and without their leaves, they were perfectly shapes spiky boxes. I had fun sketching the menacing chaos of the branches. A few children were playing in the square and I got a compliment in French from a group pf boys. I don’t know what they said, but I assume it was a compliment. I responded with a Merci and thumbs up.
In the cafe afterwards, the artists were more intrigued by my tiny sketch stool than the sketch. They opened it up and set it up to sit in the café. There is a real sense of excitement that comes from meeting artists from another part of the world. I need to travel more often.