Preparing the Bath

Landing window in Parisian townhouse

Rue Marbeau, Paris

This and other windows depicting domestic scenes are on the landings of a tall, elegant townhouse (now a hotel) in a turn-of-the-century street adjacent to the Bois de Boulogne. Some of the houses are inscribed with their architects' names, followed by dates of construction around 1910/1916. From the form of bath and the costumes shown here, this window may afford a nostalgic look at the more distant past. The artist Mortimer Menpes visited Paris around this time, and greatly admired French people's sense of style and colour, both much in evidence in the design of the glass.

Photograph (2012) and text by Jacqueline Banerjee

[You may use this image and the one below without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL. Click on the images for larger pictures.]

Rue Marbeau