EXCEPT FOR THE MESSAGE ON THE FACADE THE ROTUNDA AND VOIDS ARE TWINS, ON THE CITY'S MOST EXPENSIVE LAND
Claude Abron
The difference is in the two entrances, both of which are surrounded by voids and female figures:
- The voids
- At the Emperor's entrance a ramp for horses sets the site a apart.
- At that of the subscribers, a colonnade of female nudes surrounds the empty space.
- The female figures :
- For the Emperor, a pair of caryatids clothed by layers of drapery underscore his entrance.
- For the abonnés, the colonnade of 14 nudes subtly radiated sensuality* until its restoration (in 2016).
*Nudity is the clothing of gods. In official art the idealized bodies represent the Republic, Justice etc. and as cold abstractions, do not incite desire. There are no other examples of sensual nudes on buildings of the time, except, perhaps, for Carpeaux's lifelike female nude in the group La Danse on the Opéra's facade.
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| Before restoration (in 2016) / Félix Sinpraseuth |
"Coming, honey?" / Alex Varenne
That colonnade alludes to the ballerinas and highlights the void's immensity.
the abonnés strolled toward their entrance,
feeling themselves masters of the universe.
That is the original point of the edifice.
Renovation begun in 2011 has made it
almost impossible to perceive.
* * *
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