'Visit to Musee Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France, Part-1' by K.J.S.Chatrath

  Last month I made a visit of homage to a small town called Boulogne in France, not far from Calais.

Indicative map of France showing the location of Boulogne-Sur-Mer

 I had gone to pay homage to 325 Indian and Nepalese soldiers and non-combatants who lie buried /commemorated there in  a cemetery there called the 'Meerut Cemetery'. They had died defending France during the First World War. But more about that in detail in a seperate book which I plan to bring out shortly.

In this town I visited an impressive museum called 'Musee Boulogne-Sur- Mer' housed in a thirteenth century chateau. This museum has four departments- Department of Mediterranean Archaeology, of Extra European Ethnography, of Decorative Arts and of Local History.

In the Department of Decorative Arts or Beaux Arts, as it is called in French, I came across this outstanding piece of sculpture. Take a look:

It is called 'Bacchante aux vignes'. It was made by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux (11 May 1827 – 12 October 1875).  He was a French sculptor and painter during the Second Empire under Napoleon III.

To appreciate it fully, I looked at and took photographs of this sculpture from various angles and different distances. 

 In this photo, I find the coloured painting in the background of this white sculpture as an interesting contrast of colours.

How beautifully has a happy smile been captured!

 Jean Baptiste Carpeaux

 'A Napolitan Fisherboy',

The best known work of Carpeaux is 'A Napolitan Fisherboy', of which he brought out various versions. 

This museum is open daily from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 17.30 pm. Sunday from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30 pm to 18.00 pm. While the world over, the museums observe Mondays as closed days,  this museum for some reason has chosed tuesdys as its off day.

Ticket is priced at 5 Euros (about INR 400 and concessional rate for students and Senior Citizens as 3 Euros (about INR 240).  

Website: www.ville-boulogne-sur-mer.fr

Addrress: Rue de Bernet, Ville fortifiee- chateau camtal, 62200 Boulogne sur mer, 0321100220.