More than any other city in France,

Paris has attracted sculptors for centuries.

Its monuments, bridges, squares, parks and

gardens, as well as many of its great

buildings, have contributed to making

Paris one giant open-air museuni.

During the times from the Renaissance to

the Belle Epoque, women were not portrayed

realistically - it would have been unsuitable -

but they were often idealised : artists used

feminine beauty, grace and elegance as

symbols for a variety of concepts and quite

surprising metaphors.

Through sculptures of women, artists have

represented numerous forms of art including

Music and Dance ; you may also notice

sculptures representing different regions,

rivers and cities of the world and concepts

such as Law, Justice and Peace, or find

different industrial achievements such as

Mechanics, the Steam Engine and

Electricity !

Some of these metaphors may appear to

stretch the imagination, but after all...

why not ?

Marie-Madeleine de Verchère