Paris...City of Art (1948)

e [Music] Paris is more than a great City more than one of the great capitals of the world it is a universe containing many worlds it has been at the center of our civilization for so many centuries that we would need more than a lifetime to know it and appreciate it fully as we see it spread out before us from the Arch of Triumph there are familiar landmarks the Eiffel Tower the Cathedral of notredam the shiz the twer the louv the Opera and the hundreds of famous buildings Bridges and Gardens but even to a Parisian the city is so large and contains so many facets of business government religion industry trade and all aspects of culture that he can be familiar with only a small part of the city's long and dynamic life that part which represents the art is symbolized by m dominated by the sakra Kirk among the narrow streets like Ru leque which wind up the hill of M generations of artists painters musicians writers sculptors have found a sympathetic understanding among the working men and shopkeepers who like other parisians are the most democratic of people here there are no questions of tolerance as to color creed or race human differences have been accepted for so many years that they are not matters for debate m is like a village set within a city its own history goes back over the 2,000 years to Roman times when a temple was erected here in of mercury or Mars the spires of the new church of sakur of the old Temple and of the First Christian Church erected by the per the gllc fisherman who lived here long before Caesar's Invasion before the Christian era the past whether recent or distant is a living part of the present rebellions and Wars of these streets but Paris even though beautiful and fascinating to artists is more than buildings it is a city to be loved young and beautiful it is like a woman stately with a age beloved by millions the wisdom of experience like the Mulan de lalet and the Old Mill wheel that once ground flow for Paris is the heritage of a past that is Rich a Heritage that includes a great love of the Arts the applied arts and the fine arts The Taking of a nap at lunchtime The Taking of a walk riding on a horse drawn bus all are parts of an artistic way of living the enjoyment of outdoor exhibits of drawings and paintings is characteristic of a people who make an art of life itself they do not rush hurriedly through life but enjoy it with an Artistry that is to be found in their conversations in the way they prepare their Foods or the way they conduct their business and since the parisians themselves are so knowing and understanding of the Arts it is Little Wonder that Paris attracts artists from all over the world Little Wonder that there are usually some 50,000 painters making Paris their home many paintings now famous were first exhibited in the streets or cafes hundreds of painters now world-renowned found understanding in these streets Americans often think of M in terms of C Beres and Bohemian ways of living but in doing so they forget that M has been the home not only of the Mula Rouge but of great artists like Victor Hugo Zola beros and hundreds of others who lived in a tradition of artistry that was somewhat Bohemian like this Guardian in Napoleonic costume but still nurtured the work of art genius the center for the Magnificent history of French Artistry is the louv the building itself goes back to the 12th century the Lou is the world's greatest treasury of paintings and sculpture great paintings from other countries such as those of Michelangelo DaVinci Raphael tishan El Greco D Rembrant but the Lou is also the shrine of great artists watto the indifferent represents the elegance and light gayety of his times but also the sense of balance pattern Rhythm and heart of color of all French painters since the time of Francis I in the 15th century under even the formalism and general artificiality of the Court painters there is found a high standard of craftsmanship France has been of art since early in the 18th century the names of her great artists are legion and her schools of thought on painting have led the way of advancement even to our own day from the men whose paintings we are sampling wat CL laier bue Rober and now jacqu Louie David we inherit a tradition of artistry that includes all schools the classic the romantic and today the expressionistic Ang gr's painting Roger delivering Angelica May well represent the classic School Gustav Corbet is the studio the realistic School such men led the way for the great French painters whose names are highly familiar today van go Goan seison matis Picasso and their followers yet the painters are but one group among French artists architectural monuments such as the pet Royale remind us of the playwrights cor rine molier of the great ré montin voler poets vion bodair verlain famous novelists of our own era Roland G PR in music we know best Cesar Fran deusi Ravel the more modern artists find representation here at the peti P the Museum of Fine Arts for the City of Paris France has not only traditions of art centuries old exemplified by the louv but art is so much a part of everyday life that the parisians understand the experiments of the younger schools too and their attempts to create new form is in an older TR tradition but its spirit is Young and adventurous its Gardens and arcades reflect the Frenchman's constant enjoyment of both natural and formal Beauty and create a proper setting for works of creative imagination in outdoor galleries as well as indoors sculptural works of our times demonstrate the ancient lineage of French sculpture as it blends with modern work such as that of charl malfre whose Creations in Stone and iron are in the traditions of medieval Church sculpture as well as in the traditions of more recent sculptur such as the great AUST Roda or of mayol and despo in many countries outside of France the artist is often in advance of his times the people do not understand what he is trying to do but the French understand their artists and honor them like Parisian sculptors well known today godier bresca brancusi zad keen modani and Herzog the work of these men is in good measure the product of the understanding they receive from the French people here we see the president of the municipal Council and other Parisian personalities attending the inauguration of an exhibit their presence is not only an official recognition of the importance of the Arts and the cultural life of France but they represent the the spirit of all their countrymen thus in the Arch of Triumph a symbol of the Frenchman's love of democratic Freedom it is significant that in erecting such a symbol of national Unity that the Arts should be represented in its structure the French Spirit of 1792 as depicted in roode's group called lares is in a language all the people know just this appreciation gives balance to the economic political religious and scientific aspects of a culture which in the past 2,000 years has ased [Music]