Touring Paris 2008

Photos from my afternoon off in Paris. I went around the Louvre museum and then went by the Eiffel Tower where I had some dinner before returning to my hotel.

Thumbnail images only. Contact me if you want a higher resolution image.

Tickets at the Louvre

Just inside the Louvre -- after paying your money (9 euro)

Horn blower

More statues

another hall

One of the Louis -- XIV

another shot

Mean looking character

Art students sketching

Big foot

Tour group

Going for the kill

Bronze (two kinds) lady

Interesting statue. Check out the lace work close up on the next photo

Lace work in marble

Sumerian relics from about 2900 BC

Bull from Sumeria (early Mesopotamia)

Tiles make by the Sumerians used for trim around the walls

Gudea

Gudea explanation

Sumerian writings from about 2270 BC on obelisk of Manishtushu

King of Akkad. A lot of these statues were missing their heads. Maybe conquering army or angry citizens?

I think this is a mock-up of what it was like around Babylon. Some of the facades are real, but I think the two figures guarding the entrance are replicas.

Wall frescos

This guy is mentioned in the Bible (Tiglath-Pileser in the NIV)

Reproduction of wall mural

Fragment of an original mural

This is a letter (see close-up next)

Can you read it?

Some stuff from Nineveh

Close up of one of the Nineveh pieces

This was apparently something on the doorstep or patio. Note the handle.

Big brass pole

On the brass pole

This came from Iran

Reproduction of a pillar (wood beam support) from Iran

Also from Iran

A Lion

How it was put together

The actual fragments

Sarcophagus from Sidon

Early Christian cemetery from N. Africa. Coptic?

Close-up of some of the tombstones. Note symbols

This describes the next slide

'Nuff said

I think the artist is warning us about the end of life or something

Large painting about staircase in Louvre

Egyptian -- from about time of Moses

Nice woodwork

Wood carving on the door frame

View down the hallway

Greek Vase

May be a more famous Greek vase.

Louvre looking back up the main drag

There's an arch at the Louvre that looks like the Arc d'Triomphe at the other end of the street.

Art students busily at work.

Napoleon III apartment

Family room

Wow!

Wow again!

More

top of drapes leading from the room

Conducive to conversation?

Interesting spiral staircase

Now this is a dining room.

And we have trouble putting up a little crown molding from Home Depot

King Louis XVIII's bed

a Vase

Dressing table, Louis XVIII

Reflections of the photographer. Really smooth mirror for the time. Did they know how to make float glass back then?

Furniture piece

Another piece

Some lady's bedroom. Note mirror (and photographer)

Not sure what this represented. Some fine marble work. Like a model of something.

Would take a while to warm up this bathtub

Two tone marble

Roman statuary

Famous Nike (winged vistory) statue

Italian artists

Italian paintings

John the Baptist's head on a platter

There she is -- Mona Lisa

What's she smiling at?

Another Mona shot

Big Italian painting

Some Roman Emporer. Possibly Pupienus (Maximus)? Do you want to tell the Emporer he has no clothes?

Italian mosaic

Venus De Milo

Hall of statuary

Pan

Entrance to the Louvre

Louis XIV

Richeleau

Looking back on the Louvre from street level

Arch at the Louvre

Tough to keep the pigeons from admiring good works of art, too

Inscription on top of arch

Heading away from the Louvre

Girls in the garden

Cheap souvenirs

Shoe shine

Tree house

Looks like sandbags (Look closer)

It's bags of grass seed

Now that's a figure!

3300-year old Luxor obelisk in traffic circle outside Louvre. A guillotine used to sit on this spot during the French Revolution. Place de la Concorde. Column of red granite.