The shyness and humility of the Indians of the Peruvian High Plateau are such that it takes them hours to make the slightest purchase. This is why the markets lasted so long in these places where pre-Columbian civilisations flourished, and whose testimonies, after having defied the centuries in the peace of their tombs, attest to … Continued
For almost two centuries, from the 11th to the 12th century, Romanesque architecture covered Western Europe with churches and monasteries. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela became almost as important to a Christian as the pilgrimage to Mecca was to a Muslim, and seven centuries later, as we retrace the route to Compostela, we realise … Continued
For many, the church of St Pierre d’Aulnay in Saintonge is the most successful masterpiece of Romanesque art in France. It was one of the main stops on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. We look at it as the pilgrims did in days gone by. Their joys, their sorrows, the legends they told each … Continued
There have always been, and always will be, ironmongers whose technique remains unchanged, despite styles and eras, whether it’s the grille of a 13th-century cloister or a Louis XVI door.A piece of ironwork is first drawn as a whole in reduction, then each detail is reproduced in life size on a sheet of metal. The … Continued
François Rude was born in Dijon, where his taste for opulent homes and beautiful, robust things was expressed in art with full forms that were always close to the truth. By chance, he attended a drawing prize-giving ceremony and his vocation was decided. At the age of 26, he was awarded the Grand Prix de … Continued
The spellbinding power of the sounds and rhythms that have for centuries marked a still time of birth and death, the ringing of bells and the activity of bell-ringing continue in the Haut-Pays Niçois, strongly linked to a whole range of musical practices. In these valleys where men have had to leave to earn their … Continued
Original title : La Chute du Barbare This film deals with the Pont-Aven period in Gauguin’s work and his difficulty in practising his painting due to his lack of money and the disarray of his family situation. The voice-over reads from letters Gauguin wrote to his friends and family, in which he talks about his … Continued
Original title : À fleur d’eau “… Come closer to nature. Try to say, as if you were the first man, what you see… your faith in a beauty…” Rainer Maria RILKE’s poetry is first and foremost about nature, whose obvious beauty he loves: a flower, a spring evening, a pond… The pond, a receptacle … Continued
Original title : Les Baladins d’Aquitaine A troupe of four actors takes us on a journey to discover the charms of Aquitaine. During their journey, punctuated by poems and songs, they show us different faces of this region rich in history, culture and resources. The varied landscapes, the sophisticated architecture, the charm of the sea … Continued
Original title : Les Almohades Following in the footsteps of the Almohads from Tinmel, the cradle of the movement, and Marrakech, the capital of their empire, to Seville where only a minaret recalls the memory of the conqueror Yacoub el Mansour, we will grasp the specificity of an Almohad aesthetic, at work in the mosque … Continued