4.2.6. EVERYBODY'S BRIDGE

HOUSES COVERED BRIDGES IN THE CRAMPED MEDIEVAL TOWNS

Except at pont Neuf 

*Begun in 1578, halted with the civil wars, finished in 1607.

Mariniers' joust at Notre-Dame Bridge by Nicolas-Jean-Baptiste Raguenet, 1756 / zoom

                                  Pont Neuf seen from the entry at place Dauphine, anonymous, toward 1665, musée Carnavalet

Pont Neuf and the Samaritaine pump by Jean-Baptiste Raguenet, 1777, musée Carnavalet

     Sole building: the pump that furnished water for the Louvre and Tuileries palaces. 

*    *

Henri IV builds the first sidewalks there. Their "balconies" let jugglers, snake-oil dealers, tooth-pullers (...) attract crowds: 

The Charlatan by J.J. Grandville / zoom

The Charlatan by Franz Anton Maulbertsch,1795 / zoom

The Toooth-puller of pont Neuf  by Jean Brioché, vers 1650 / zoom 

Notice the thief.

Place Dauphine, wide enough to become a stage, made pont Neuf modern French comedy's first theater: 

Pont Neuf by Hendrick Mommers, toward 1670 

Zoom

    Tabarin at place Dauphine, eBay

Tabarin, the first French comic to distinguish himself from medieval devils.  

     

Molière* grew up near pont Neuf, whose activity can inspire his way of having his actors constantly improvise and move. That is a reason for the popularity that led the troupe to the Sun King's court. 

*Actor, troupe director and the greatest French comedy writer.

    Zoom

Molière on stage with his troupe towards 1670

 

At musée Carnavalet, 

a rare hommage to popular verve

 

*      *      *

Next,

4.2.7.

The king among his people