Paleolithic Art

 

Cave Art 101 by National Geographic

 From human hands to now-extinct animals, cave art gives us a glimpse into prehistoric life. Who created cave art, and what was its initial purpose? Explore the paintings of Chauvet-Pont d'Arc and Lascaux Grotto, and learn what prehistoric art can tell us about our world thousands of years ago.

 

What can Stone Age art tell us about extinct animals? by Trey the Explainer

From Lascaux to Chauvet to Australia, in this video I discuss the many illustrations of now extinct prehistoric animals and how they can be significant to paleontologists. Additionally, artwork created by our long dead ancestors can actually tell us a lot about prehistory we wouldn't know otherwise from cultural norms to religious beliefs. So I've taken the time to examine what prehistoric art can tell us. We will talk about everything from Irish Elk to Marsupial Lions so I hope you enjoy! May 2018

 

Why are these 32 symbols found in caves all over Europe by Genevieve von Petzinger

Written language, the hallmark of human civilization, didn't just suddenly appear one day. Thousands of years before the first fully developed writing systems, our ancestors scrawled geometric signs across the walls of the caves they sheltered in. Paleo-anthropologist and rock art researcher Genevieve von Petzinger has studied and codified these ancient markings in caves across Europe. The uniformity of her findings suggest that graphic communication, and the ability to preserve and transmit messages beyond a single moment in time, may be much older than we think.  December 2018

The Roots of Religion by Genevieve Von Petzinger

A PhD student in Anthropology at the University of Victoria, Genevieve Von Petzinger's main area of interest is understanding the geometric imagery of European Ice Age rock art and how we can use this type of behavior to identify cognitive and symbolic evolution in modern humans. Her work was featured on the cover of New Scientist in 2010 and Science Illustrated in 2011, and she has also appeared on the Discovery Channel's popular program Daily Planet.  December 2012
 

 

 

Saint Geneys

 In the area around Le Puy are several small towns with Romanesque churches. These churches were built around the 11th century. This one is in the small town of Saint Geneys, located at a fork in the road on the D-906 highway and about 20 minutes north of Le Puy. It does not seem to be a functioning church--or at least one with the Blessed Sacrament--but the town takes care of it as a relic of its history and welcomes visitors with an open door to explore it and its architecture.

The small farming village of St. Geneys was founded in 1038 and the church was first mentioned in documents in 1164. Two centuries later it was dedicated to St. Barthélemy in 1336. There used to be a fort a short distance from here, built in the Middle Ages, but there is no evidence of its remains.

The church measures only 4200 square feet but it has evolved over the centuries and incorporated different architectural traditions into the same church.

 

 

The oldest part of the church is the north side, which actually dates back to the Romans who left an ossuary there. (The ossuary continued to be used as a depository for funereal bones until the 18th century.) Today, this part of the church stands as a side chapel (left of the altar) that provides more seating and an altar to the Blessed Mother. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the mid-16th century the apse was reconstructed in the Gothic tradition with ribbed vaults (ceiling) and flat-wall pilasters. Four chapels were added (north, south, east, west) as was a new door with an emblazoned pediment on the east side of the church.

   

 

 The bell tower was reconstructed in 1662.

  

 

During the French Revolution when churches were taken over by the state, this church was no exception. Afterward, the parish was re-started in its Catholic tradition. 

Between 1852-58 the curé, Fr. Monteillard, enlarged the small church and by extending the nave on its west side and building a new chapel on its south side. Along the nave are arches with a smoothed surface for paintings although none exist now. The choir in the back of the church is out of line from the nave because its walls were used to support a steeple that was reconstructed in the 17th century. 

 

 

 

 

The windows on the south side employ a more flamboyant Renaissance style. The stained glass window below was installed in 1938 depicting St. Louis XIII (1601-43) making vows. He was king of France 1610-43.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The church was restored again 1981-82 and the sacristy was eliminated. However, a sarcophagus was found buried beneath it. Today it serves as a planter at the entrance of the church. Also discovered was a subterranean hall that had served as a Roman ossuary. 

The priest assigned to this parish was named by the head priest or bishop of the Cathedral in Le Puy as well as the feudal lords in this area. This system of appointments went on until the French Revolution (1789-99).

 

Saint Geneys is just 20 minutes north from LePuy over the area's two-lane country roads and through a dramatic post-volcanic landscape.

 

On the way home from St. Geneys are some astonishing sights. The Polignac fortress rises above the landscape on its "table-top" mount.  

Some beautiful snow-capped mountains appeared in the distance in early December. It snowed in Le Puy a week later but melted after only a day on the ground.

 

Armistice Day 2020 in France

Today is Armistice Day, the end of World War I. It is a very solemn day in France, which commemorates the 1,327,000 soldiers who died and 4,266,000 who were wounded out of a population of 39 million. These losses devastated the economy as there were not enough workers for the farms or factories.

 

In the 1920s the government asked the people to build war memorials in their cities and towns. Below are some examples. On most of the inscriptions it says:

"To the children who fought for France 1914-1918."

 

The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I, was around 40 million. There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians.

 

Unfortunately, France fought three more devastating wars: World War II, Vietnam, Algeria. The names of the fallen were added to the war memorials. 

Here are some war memorials in cities and towns I've visited over the past three years.

St. Flour

 
Capdenac-en-Haut

 

Le Puy-en-Velay

 

Marseille

 

 

Yssingeaux 

 

 

Figeac

 

 

Nice

Saugues

St Didieron

National Cheeseburger Day 2020

Two years ago I happened to notice that September 18 was designated as National Cheeseburger Day in the USA. I mentioned it to Eluiza and suggested that we go to McDonald's to celebrate. In truth, I was looking for an excuse to have an American-style burger. Because of her cultural background (Eluiza is Brazilian), she expected that the day would be celebrated as a festival with a parade, balloons, and cheeseburgers. She waited for the news to show what this big celebration was all about but alas was disappointed. I then explained to her that it is just an industry promotional gesture to get people to remember to eat their cheeseburgers. She was shocked and, I think, a little disappointed. This became a joke for us but also an occasion to eat cheeseburgers.  


Since it was my cooking day, I decided we'd spend this year's National Cheeseburger Day by going on a picnic. I grilled the burgers with onions and brought along some Italian potato salad (potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, onions, green beans in wine vinegar with salt, pepper, and oregano), and fruit. Off we went to a park not far from home on the Loire River in Brives-Charensac. My plan was that we would eat our lunch and take a walk along the river. This is a beautiful place and one of my favorites because of the 13th century bridge that has half fallen down in the river. The town is also on the old Roman road leading to Lyon. Unfortunately, the town was too crowded with other lunch-goers, and there was no place to park or sit and eat. 

 

Off we went down the country road and ended up a few miles away in Bouzol, site of an 11th-century fortress that has to be one of the ugliest buildings in France. We visited the chateau in 2019 (see blog). I was skeptical about finding a place for our picnic but eagle-eyed Eluiza not only found a little niche, but 2 picnic tables to boot! They looked as though they had been set-up there recently.

 

Eluiza was rather proud of her find. Here she is pictured with the other picnic table. The chateau is the background.

 

 

Our picnic was quite pleasant. It was located in a valley that had been at one time a heavily-guarded outpost on the Loire River. We walked closer to the chateau (which was closed for the season) and found a couple benches that allowed us to view the valley below. What a beautiful sight! Our alternative plan turned out way better than the original! 

 

 

After we left Bouzol, we trundled along a smooth, two-lane country road called D-535 and arrived in Monastier-sur-Gazeille.

 

 

For a small town, Monastier is pretty busy. It seems to offer its people a lot of amenities, and it takes advantage of a magnificent view of the valley. More recently-built single-family dwellings on the edge of the village makes it even larger. 

 

 

We had planned to find a café and happened upon Pâtisserie La Jonquille. This place is amazing. Not only does it serve coffee and tea, but it offers bread, pastries, chocolates, and ice cream--all made in the shop's kitchens. We had some ice cream and then headed down a steep hill and then upward a steeper hill. 

We discovered a preserved medieval church that no longer serves as a church but has become a public exposition center and concert hall. 

The nave of the church ready for the next exposition or concert

              

 

Above the altar is a sight I have only seen one other time in an old church in Rome: God as a white-bearded old man flanked by a couple angels.

The bulky protruding sides of the church illustrate how builders "propped up" these old Romanesque churches, which emerged in the late 900s. They were popular until the 12th century when the Gothic churches arrived on the scene and "soared" into the heavens.

 

Churches provided gathering places for people in medieval towns. In front of the church is what used to be a public laundry.

 

The church overlooks the valley where the town has provided picnic tables and park benches. What a find! We quickly made plans to return here for another picnic. 

Stone makes for some beautiful village sights. Here is a walkway next to the church.

A pilgrimage route named after Robert Louis Stevenson runs through Monistier. We saw a few pilgrims weighted down with their backpacks. No donkeys, however.

Travels with a Donkey in the Cervennes is an interesting travelogue of Stevenson's pilgrimage in southcentral France.

Our brief but full three-hour adventure had turned out well. We had our cheeseburgers. We had a nice quiet day in the French countryside. And we found some new places close to home that could provide us with a quick get-away to some fun with some gorgeous scenery.

Happy National Cheeseburger Day! 

Général Marquis de Lafayette Chateau in Chavaniac

Two flags fly at the Chateau La Fayette: the French flag and the American flag. They fly for Gilbert La Fayette, who was known as "the Hero of the Two Worlds," for his accomplishments in both the service of France and the United States.

Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette was born in the chateau in Chavaniac  (18.6 miles from Le Puy) in this bed on September 6, 1757.  He had a happy childhood and showed gallantry and leadership befitting his family heritage even at a young age. For example, in the Auvergne area, the Beast of Gevaudan (a wolf) was terrorizing the people. Gilbert, age 10, took a small sword and vowed to kill the beast. "Be careful!" he said. "I am the lord of this village and it is my duty to defend it." 
(George Washington's portrait on the right.) 

In fact, Lafayette (American spelling) was from one of the oldest and most distinguished aristocratic families in France. Gilbert de La Fayette III was a companion-at-arms with Joan of Arc's army during the Siege of Orléans in 1429. According to legend, another elder helped capture the Crown of Thorns during the Sixth Crusade to Jerusalem. On his mother's side, several of his family members also had distinguished careers in the military.

 Lafayette was raised in the chateau by his grandmother after his father had died while fighting a British-led coalition at the Battle of Minden in Westphalia. His grief-struck mother went to Paris to live with her father and grandfather. In 1768 when Lafayette was 11, he went to Paris to attend the Collège du Plessis, which was a part of the University of Paris. He enrolled in military training as a Muskateer.

 

At age 13 he was commissioned an officer and in 1777 at age 19 went to America to fight with the revolutionaries against the British. On August 5, 1777, he met George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, in Philadelphia at a dinner. According to historian and journalist Marc Leepson, "the two men bonded almost immediately." Lafayette was in awe of Washington and Washington was impressed by Lafayette's enthusiasm, especially since they were both Masons. As a result, Washington became his friend and mentor. Archivists at the chateau have recognized that relationship by hanging a picture of Washington in Lafayette's birthplace bedroom.

Lafayette commanded troops in several battles and was wounded during the Battle of Brandywine in 1777. In the middle of the war he returned to France to solicit French support for what he considered "a noble cause". Upon his return to America in 1780, he served as a senior officer in the Continental Army. Most notable was his command of forces in Virginia that blocked the British and led to the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which would decisively end the war. 

Lt General in 1791; portrait by Joseph-Désiré Court

After the war Lafayette returned to France. He was appointed to the Assembly of Notables in 1787, and in 1789 he was elected to the Estates General. In that same year he helped form the National Constituent Assembly (the forerunner to the National Assembly) and helped write the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen with the assistance of Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration was inspired by the U.S. Declaration of Independence and it invoked natural law to establish basic principles of the democratic nation-state. After the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, Lafayette was appointed commander-in-chief of the French National Guard. As an aristocrat and a supporter of the monarchy, he tried to steer a middle course during the Revolution. However, in August 1792, he was arrested by the revolutionaries. He fled into the Austrian Netherlands but was captured by Austrian troops. He spent five years in prison.

Lafayette returned to France in 1797 after Napoleon Bonaparte secured his release. He was offered a position in this government but refused it. In 1814, he became a liberal member of the Chamber of Deputies, a position he held for most of the rest of his life. In 1824, President James Monroe invited him to the United States as the nation's guest, and he visited all 24 states. During France's July Revolution of 1830, he was offered the opportunity to become France's dictator, but he refused. Instead, he supported Louis-Philippe as king, but turned against him when the monarch became autocratic. Lafayette died on May 20, 1834 and is buried in Picpus Cemetery in Paris, under soil from Bunker Hill (Charlestown, MA). 

Although frequently absent from his home in Chavaniac, he maintained connections to it throughout his life. He was particularly interested in the town's small farmers and artisans. He also showed his own creativity by suggesting that ships use hemp from the Auvergne region for their ropes and that vaccination could help prevent smallpox.  

Below are several of the rooms of the chateau that help to illustrate the nature of the man and his times. 

The Philosophers' Salon exemplifies the 18th century's golden age of conversation and discussion of pertinent philosophical and literary issues and Lafayette was an avid participant. His main concern was the abolition of slavery. He was a man of strong opinions and his early successes had a negative effect on some people:

"My popularity is great in this kingdom and in this city, but there are many who are against me, jealous of my reputation." 1784

Mme. de La Fayette's Salon is one of the more picturesque rooms of the chateau. Also known as the "Green Room," the salon served as a receiving room for guests. The furniture is from the Louis XVI period. 

Wallpaper panels are in the arabesque style (surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines). Wallpaper was introduced in France in the 1770s. They imitated the painter, Raphael, who focused on antiquity motifs. The fashion of the day also included flowers, birds, insects, people and mythical animals.


 




The "Versailles" parquet floor of the 18th Century was made of oak, ash, sycamore, and walnut.

The Treasure Room (a.k.a. "Chinese Room") served as Lafayette's office. It contains various objects that once belonged to Lafayette. It is also displays several murals in silver leaf that use a Chinese-inspired style unique to the era of Louis XV.



Dining Room
 

Interesting Doors and Hallways

Interesting Objects

Salt mills were popularly used in France. The salt came in chunks and needed to be ground to season food. In order to raise money, the government taxed salt, which was considered a valuable and precious commodity.

Masons poster

Lafayette belonged to the Masons, thanks to Fr. Reynal, a scholarly, anti-establishment man whom he admired. Reynal belonged to the "Nine Sisters" Lodge in Paris, which influenced literary circles there. Lafayette attended its meetings. His membership facilitated his relationship with George Washington, who was a grand master. Freemasonry or Masonry consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons that from the end of the 14th century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. 

 

 

 

This commemorative quilt celebrated the 250th year of Lafayette's birth in 2007. It was presented to the public on July 22, 2011. It hangs in the reception area of the chateau.

 

  

 

 

The Gardens


The gardens behind the chateau were extensive, but unremarkable. Still, there were many interesting trees and ponds that lent to a tranquil and peaceful environment. A rose garden near the chateau was designed in triangles around a boy on a pedestal, which made for some interesting photographic angles.

Lafayette married Adrienne de Noailles at age 16. It was an arranged marriage, but even from the first days, Adrienne, 14, held a lively and tender sentiment for her husband who was also her hero. Often left alone, she managed the couple's property and businesses on both sides of the family. Adrienne also watched over the political and private interests of Lafayette while facing with courage and determination the very difficult hours of the French Revolution. She and her two daughters were imprisoned during the Revolution, but they all eventually joined Lafayette in his prison in Austria. She was weakened and sick as a result of her captivity and died at age 48 in 1807. She was buried in the Picpus cemetery in Paris in her family's communal grave. Lafayette died on May 20, 1834 at age 77 and was buried with his wife.

 

 

The European oak dominates Chaliergue's forest landscapes and the surrounding areas of Chavaniac. Its wood, rich in tannins, is used in the manufacturing of barrels; it gives wine a subtle flavor of toasted almonds and caramel.

The bald cypress produces pneumatophores at its base. These protrusions allow the tree to supply oxygen to its roots and improve its stability.