Angels of Paris: An Architectural Tour Through the History of Paris - Hardcover

Rosemary Flannery

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1936941015 ISBN 13: 9781936941018

Publisher: Little Bookroom, 2012

Synopsis

Angels are sculpted everywhere in Paris, not just on churches but in unexpected places: holding a lightning rod atop the Théâtre du Châtelet's roof, adorning a seventeenth-century gilded sundial inside a courtyard at the Sorbonne, hovering above a railroad headquarters where a beautiful stone frieze features young angels flying in to work on the tracks. Subtly, subliminally, the angels are a part of the fanciful and romantic spirit of Paris. The Angels of Paris: Looking Up in the World's Most Beautiful City is the first book to explore this intriguing and extraordinary subject.

The Angels of Paris features beautiful photographs taken from dawn to dusk, in all seasons, accompanied by text explaining the story behind the creation of each angel and of the location in which it is found. Organized chronologically, the book delves into the artistic trends and historic movements the angels reflect and the stories of the artists who created them and of those who commissioned them. Readers will learn about Paris's history, buildings, and monuments through the abundant, beautiful, and surprising depictions of angels from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.
 
Rosemary Flannery has found angels in friezes, plaques, and free-standing sculpture; on fountains and façades, clocks and sundials, monuments and mansions, rooftops and window frames. The Angels of Paris is a unique way for lovers of Paris to learn more about the city in a new and unusual way.

About this title

Review:

"Pictures of foreign places always intrigue (as long as they weren't taken by Uncle Harry), and Rosemary Flannery takes on Paris, a city at the center of art, literature, and endless memoirs and travelogues (and yes, filled with effortlessly slim women who nibble on stinky cheese and have well-behaved children). With her eyes skyward, she sees the beautiful angels looking down in The Angels of Paris."--Louisa Ermelino, Publishers Weekly

"Think you know Paris? Look up and discover a new city. Angels of Paris: An Architectural Tour through the History of Paris is a divine book that points you to such unexpected sights as the roof of the Theatre du Chatelet and a sundial at the Sorbonne. Beautiful photos accompany the story of each angel." -- Jane Knight, The Times (UK)

"While it is true that most of the architectural grandeur of Paris is exemplified by monumental structures with heroic proportions, such as Notre Dame, Place de la Concorde, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, Rosemary Flannery encourages us to . . . delight in the modest details of angelic architectural ornaments - large and small - found throughout the city. . .Exploring the history of the city synonymous with art and enlightenment through an artist's lens aimed at angels expressed in a myriad of artistic media will delight all kinds of Traditional Building readers." --Judy L. Hayward, Traditional Buildings

"Flannery finds [angels] all over Paris and gracefully weaves together each one's story with the city's history, architecture and plenty of anecdotes. Even Benjamin Franklin makes a cameo appearance, with the muscular little angels who hoist lightening rods on the roof of the Theatre du Chatelet." --Vivian Thomas, France Today

"Angels of Paris, with text and photographs by Rosemary Flannery, is a small format guidebook that explores not just churches and chapels, but rooftops, door knockers, sundials, friezes, fountains, and even a bakery, as it leads those curious about the city's celestial protectors to all 20 arrondissements." --Paris By Design

"This beautiful book offers a unique view of Paris. . . from the 'angels' point of view. . . Rosemary has created a gem in this small romantic ode to Pais. . . the perfect hostess gift, stocking filler. . . or surprise for yourself. . . Please don't miss it. . . I believe you will adore Angels of Paris."--Vicki Archer, French Essence

"Paris is well known for it being a city of lights, of fashion and of food - now look up and discover Paris the city of angels! These are the angels encrusted within the city's magnificent architecture - and hence we present you with a stunning book that recently landed on our desk, 'Angels of Paris: an Architectural Tour through the History of Paris by Rosemary Flannery. . . If you have a passion for the city's history and its breathtaking structures this book is totally for you! Organized chronologically, arrondissement by arrondissement, Angels of Paris is a unique way for lovers of Paris to discover the city in a new and unusual way."-Paris Popcorn

"Published by The Little Bookroom, New York, this little hardback book with it's pretty powder blue cover is an architectural tour of Paris and the many angels that are there if you look for them. An original idea that makes a perfect, unusual gift for any lover of Paris.
Each angel has an address that handily includes their local Metro stop, and a short description of why they are where they are. Most of the angels have just over a page of text, so nothing is too heavy or in depth and the quality of pictures is excellent. This book is small, but hardback, so unless you were travelling very light it would easily fit in your luggage. It will be with me next time I am in Paris, but it is also just at home on the coffee table, ready and waiting for a quick five-minute mini-getaway. Don't forget, next time you are in Paris, don't just look where you are going, look up too and you will be amazed by what you see."
--The French Village Diaries

"It wasn't until I saw Rosemary Flannery's new book, Angels of Paris: An Architectural Tour through the History of Paris, that I realized fully how surrounded we are by angels, in spite of the demons that haunt our Parisian past." --Adrian Leeds, Parler Paris

About the Author:

ROSEMARY FLANNERY has lived in France since 1989 and enjoys dual French-American nationality. She graduated with honors from Columbia University in 1985 with a degree in French language and literature, and studied Méthodologie de l'Architecture with Professor Claude Mignot, an authority on Parisian building façades, at the Sorbonne. While at Columbia she co-produced and hosted French Encounters, a public-access television program on French culture produced in conjunction with the French Embassy. In 2005 she created and produced The Art Beat, a weekly cultural magazine for Paris Live Radio, an Internet radio station; several of her programs have been picked up by BBC World.

About this edition

• Publisher: Little Bookroom
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1936941015
• ISBN 13: 9781936941018
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 200