Whimsy Bower: Pere Lachaise: Part 2

27 July 2015

Pere Lachaise: Part 2

In my first Pere Lachaise post I shared photos of ceramic (majolica) floral arrangements that are left on the graves and in tombs there. I mentioned how much I loved those arrangements and how disappointing it was that none of the nearby stores seemed to sell them. Well, in one of those moments of serendipity the universe occasionally doles out, a couple of hours after posting I accidentally came across the website of a woman who also loves these ceramic flowers...and sells them. The website is mostly in Dutch, but if you have any questions, you can write to her in English. I did and quickly received a friendly and extremely informative reply (I can think of several big companies that could take lessons in customer service from her). It turns out stores near Pere Lachaise do sell these majolica flowers (that'll learn me to only look in windows and not actually go inside and ask). But if you're not going to Paris anytime soon and you're interested in getting your own majolica flowers (they're frost tolerant and would make gorgeous garden decorations--just don't leave them outside if you have cold winters), it's awesome that there is a source for ordering them. You can also look at all the pretties on the factory's website, although you can't order from them.

Now, on to the pictures...

I thought this fellow was immortalizing his love of dance, but when I got closer I realized the statue is holding the hilt of a sword. I suppose this is a majestic pose for a defender of the republic. But I think Anatole de la Forge, who was a journalist and politician, missed his true calling.


"In Memory of Anatole de la Forge, the Valiant Defender of Saint-Quentin, the Faithful Defender of Democracy."

Grave of Charles Floquet, 55th Prime Minister of France. Scandal-ridden, he was in office for less than a year. And yet still gets this monument.

"Caveau Depositoire": The common grave or burial vault of the City of Paris.

There were a few tombs featuring a bee motif.

Bats are another recurring motif at Pere Lachaise, as are owls (see below).

Leon Philippe Beclard, politician under Napoleon III

Victor Cousin, Philosopher. He died at Cannes, but now if you want to be buried in Pere Lachaise, you have to die in Paris. Doesn't sound like the worst plan...

Generals Claude Martin Lecomte and Jacques Leonard Clement-Thomas were executed during the first uprising of the Paris Commune, 18 March 1871.

Paul Baudry, Artist. The monument was erected by his architect brother, along with fellow artists and friends.

Memorial to "the Dead," sculpted by Paul Albert Bartholome. An ossuary, described as a smaller catacombs, is located behind the monument, although it's not usually open to the public. Smaller copies of this monument have been made in a variety of materials and can be found in several museums, including the Musee d'Orsay.