For my art history course, we met at the Delacroix museum, which was located in his former apartment and craft shop. From there, we traveled to Saint Sulpice to see the commissioned works he spent nearly a decade creating.
They're falling apart because the church no longer has the funds to maintain them properly, but during his time, the colors were vivid and his compositions were heavily criticized. In fact, there were some people who were downright furious. Apparently, many historians consider these pieces to have attributed to his declining health and death. Yikes.
But don't be discouraged! When wandering through the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, I found Delacroix's grave sitting atop prime real estate on Avenue Eugene Delacroix.
Remember.. They might not adore your work while you're still living, but perhaps, you'll get a street named after you in Paris' most famous cemetery. Perhaps.
After class, I wandered (quicker than I would've liked) through the Luxembourg Gardens. This park isn't a secret to tourists, but it's off the beaten track. It's always quite pleasant to share space with the French. Unlike most of the tourists who push their way to the Eiffel Tower in their groups of 24, the French value solitude. This is a relaxed and introspective society, and it's most evident in the cafes and in the gardens.
