Four Paris vignettes

And one of them had to be a piece of figural sculpture, bien sur! I absolutely cannot get enough of these sculpted presences. They are everywhere, animating the streets, bridges and parks with their dignity--- or their frivolity, as the case may be. Gravitas wins out often over frivolity, but sensuality is a trait held in common by most.

Today was my second visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts, this time to see the fashion exhibits. There is a major Balenciaga retrospective and the two dresses in this sketch are drawn from that:

The Paris sky is a constant source of drama and delight to me. I even like the gray skies, as you've seen in the sketch above and in other recent ones. In contrast to those, last Sunday afternoon was the clearest, brightest (in that way that announces that winter is coming soon, regardless of the mild temperatures we've been having) day yet. So I sat on a slice of ground next to the Seine and sketched the sky and the way it colored the water below.

And, finally, not a sketch, but a tale of five golden rings. The first time, I was approached by a woman of late middle age, who exclaimed in delight at something she'd found on the ground near me. She grabbed my arm and showed me the wide golden wedding ring she'd just picked up. She tried it on her finger and then ' Madame,' she said, 'you try it. i want to share my good luck with you.' I put it on my finger and she clasped both of my hands in both of hers, and with the sincerest look in all the world, she said (all of this is in French, of course) 'I want you to keep it. It will bring you good luck.' And off she went. I was stunned. It had all happened so fast. Then she turned around, as if on impulse, and came walking back to me. 'Madame, I shared my good fortune with you. Could you spare a little money for me and my children?'
Ten minutes later, my husband and I were walking next to the Champs Elysees when I decided to leap into the bushes, looking for intact chestnuts. 'Monsieur,' I heard a young woman say, 'look what I found!' And, sure enough, ANOTHER person had flung his wedding ring to the ground, only to have it picked up ANOTHER passerby who wanted to share HER good luck with my husband! Of all the coincidences!!
The day I was sketching the Grand Palais, two different people in ten minutes approached me, having miraculously!!! found, you guessed it, wide gold wedding bands right there---ON THE GROUND! And I know they would have been eager to share their good fortune with me, if only I'd given them a chance. But, of course, I didn't. Enough of this ring-flinging, ring-finding already. J' ai marre de ce truc. (I've had enough of this deal.)

And then, my friend M, the dashing beau of dear P, was walking through the Tuileries the other day when, as he told us, 'an extraordinary thing happened.' Guess what it was? It was the fifth golden ring!
I have six more days left, just enough for six swans a'swimming. I figure, with all the luck I've been having, my odds are pretty damned good!

Comments

[Bela]

Paris is so beautiful perhaps one doesn't mind being the victim of a scam and this one is rather poetic. LOL!

I'm so glad you had a good time in that gorgeous city. :-)

[cootiegarage]

That's just insane!!! My God! What an amazing thing to happen in Paris. Hope you have a safe trip home. Lovely paintings Laura-as usual. Lots of love, L

[Laura]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such spirited and warm comments! Don't you wish this could last forever?

[Toni]

I also am loving the dresses.
And the tale of the rings well there has to be a story in it somewhere. you know made for TV.

[Lori Witzel]

Wonderful skies (again) and amazing about those rings!

FYI, my husband's wedding ring? One he found on the ground in a parking lot in Houston. (We ain't fancy people, LOL!)

[Cin]

if I ever make it to Paris now I will know to beware of the rings! loving these sketches, so admiring your skill and talent!