One of the reasons I like France is that culture permeates everything. In the most unexpected situations you can find a reference to literature, or painting, or music. Rarely I found this in other societies. And the French take this naturally and many of them, not all naturally, but many know what about it is. They love their great culture and are proud of it. Every evening I watch a show named "Questions pour un champion" were people of all trades compete on cultural questions. It is similar to the American Jeopardy but there is less money at stake and it is, how to say, more pleasant, there is a lot of humour involved. Among the competitors there are cooks, drivers, teachers physicians..every kind of profession. It is nice and fun to see so many different people with cultural interests.
I write about this because of Lanvin's new collection of jewelry named Les yeux d'Elsa (Elsa's eyes).
This is the title of a poetry book written by the great poet Louis Aragon. Elsa Triolet was his wife and his muse. She was Russian and he wrote for her the most beautiful verses.
Les yeux
d'Elsa
Tes yeux sont
si profonds qu'en me penchant pour boire
J'ai vu tous
les soleils y venir se mirer
S'y jeter à
mourir tous les désespérés
Tes yeux sont
si profonds que j'y perds la mémoire
Elsa Your
Eyes
your eyes so deep I stoop to drink I’ve seen
all the bright suns assemble here to preen
seen the despairing all plunge in to die
your eyes so deep I lose my memory
(translation by Timothy Ades)
