Saturday, August 18, 2007

Phantasmagorical

The absolute best, coolest, Goreyest tomb at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery is that of Etienne-Gaspard Robertson.

Skulls with wings, angels, and I think those are burning candles. It looks like a bathtub up at the top but I expect that's meant to be a coffin.


A close-up of the image on this side of the monument. Grim Reapers and their pet on the left, a winged skeleton blowing a trumpet at the top and horrified Victorians on the right side.

An even closer close-up of the Grims:

This is the other side of the monument.

This panel features a balloon sailing away.


Etienne-Gaspard Robertson was a physicist, balloonist and a stage magician who used "phantasmagoria," a display of optical effects and illusions, to perform ghost stories. He was definitely a showman.

My sweetie and I tried out our neighborhood Indian restaurant for lunch today. Mmmm excellent garlic naan and tandoori chicken. Later.

13 comments:

Donna said...

that's a tombstone interesting enough to research the guy associated with it! Makes me wish there was a biography of Robertson.....

Gypsy Quilter said...

Boy-o-boy, that one's a show stopper!

Diane said...

EEEW, Skeletons with bat wings--CREEPY!

Candy Schultz said...

I have to say that is the most unusual tomb I have ever seen. Skulls with wings! Thanks for sharing this.

Lily Mulholland said...

Let's hope his soul managed to escape in that balloon! And how nice to find some good Indian cuisine - makes a nice change from all that complex stuff!

Susan said...

That's unusual, to say the least. I guess if you are going to die anyway, you might as well have some fun with it.

Unknown said...

OH, this is the best yet! How lucky you are to be LIVING in Paris and to be able to seek this stuff out.

Feeling Simply Quilty said...

The most interesting things can be found in graveyards. I like your photographic journals.

Magpie Sue said...

That is the coolest cemetary monument ever!!! I want one just like it! Oh wait, I was going to be creamated and have my ashes scattered over the Pacific ocean... Oh well, who says there has to be a body underneath the monument?!

Quilts And Pieces said...

You find the most cool statues, monuments, etc! I probably would walk right by and never see them!

True Dat said...

Great shots of the monuments & details. I'll have to do some reading up on Etienne & Phantasmagoria.

Judy said...

Very cool cemetery plots, and crypts! Neet-o!

jmb_craftypickle said...

this one is definitely the coolest...I love cemetaries...they are so interesting and really say so much about culture of time, maybe more than the person who "rests" there. Very spooky!