Summer Sights in the Jardin du Luxembourg

The Paris Vignettes series features the inspired work of street photographer William “Bill” O’Such in themed installments

A few days after seeing the Robert Doisneau photography exhibit, I headed to the Jardin du Luxembourg. My goal was to ferment the inspirations gleaned from the images I saw, and to try to capture stories of our time. Entering the park, you immediately notice more people reading than in almost any park in the US, whether it’s a book or a newspaper (“New York Times”). As I passed the many statues, I decided to do a little research on a few of them afterwards. One chaotic arrangement of figures depicted a drunken Silenus who was a tutor to the wine god Dionysus (“Silenus bourré”). Nearby, another statue portrayed Paul Verlaine, a key figure of the Symbolists and so-called Decadents. I couldn’t help but wonder: was there a theme emerging in this section of the jardin?

Across the beautiful bassin (“trop beau”), surrounded by young children maneuvering small sailboats (“presque la”), stood a statue that instantly made me think it was a model for how people pose for selfies today (“selfie Grec”). Stairs on either side (“elles ascendent”, “vers la haut”) beckon you towards meticulously arranged rows of trees (“allée des arbres”). Exiting the park on this sunny day, you’re left to ponder the story behind a solitary chair with a book on it (“tout seul”). It was time for a relaxing lunch near Odéon and a ride on the 96 bus back to Le Marais. 

Watch for the upcoming triptych vignette influenced by combination movements in Paris with the inspiration from the last salle at the Doisneau expo.