Denis Diderot in Langres (52), Haute-Marne (52)

Denis Diderot (1713-84) was born in Langres and died in Paris. His statue in his native town in what is now Place Diderot was erected one hundred years after his death: Diderot is everywhere in the town, as he should be but he has obviously become a victim of the tatty tourist industry. Interestingly, though, the house where he was born is now a Maison de Presse on the ground floor. In 2013, three hundred years after Diderot's birth, the mayor of the town inaugurated La Maison des lumières Denis Diderot, which was originally a building constructed in 1580 by Nicolas Ribonnier and given to La Société Archéologique de Langres by the Breuil de Saint Germain in 1923.

The Panthéon, 5th arrondissement, Paris, France: Literary Île-de-France #44

'Histoire de Paris

Le Panthéon

Guéri en 1774 d'une grave maladie, Louis XV décide la construction d'une église dédiée à sainte Geneviève. Soufflot en est l'architecte. Le chantier, commencé en 1764, fut très long, et l'édifice faillit s'écrouler sous la Révolution. En 1791, on transforme l'église en Panthéon destiné à recevoir la dépouille des grands hommes : Voltaire et Rousseau y sont transférés en grande pompe. Rendu au culte sous le premier Empire, le Panthéon retrouve définitivement sa vocation à la mort de Victor Hugo, en 1885. Depuis 1907, y repose également une femme : il s'agit de Marcelin Berthelot. Morts le même jour, ils ont ainsi choisi de rester unis dans la tombe.'

'History of Paris

The Panthéon

Cured of a serious illness in 1744, Louis XV decided to build a church dedicated to Saint Geneviève. The architect was Soufflot. The workshop was begun in 1764 and was very long, and the building almost fell under the revolution. In 1791 the church became The Panthéon, destined to receive the remains of great men: Voltaire and Rousseau were moved here with great ceremony. Returning to religious usage under the First Empire, the Panthéon finally found its vocation as a necropolis with the death of Victor Hugo in 1885. Since 1907, a woman has also rested here: Marcelin Berthelot's wife. Both died the same day, and they both remain united in the same grave.'

Albert Bartholomé's 'Monument to Jean-Jacques Rousseau' (1907).

To the left of the central group is Music, to the right Glory.

The central group depicts Philosophy between Nature and Truth.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Alphonse-Camille Terroir's 'To Diderot and the Encyclopédistes' (1913).

Two standing female figures with the inscription 'L'Encyclopédie prépare l'idée de la Révolution' ('L'Encyclopédie prepares for the idea of revolution').

To the left: Truth.

To the right: Strength.

Bottom center: the profile of Diderot on the tomb.

In the crypt are a number of other tombs. This is Rousseau's, which was brought here in 1794.

And next to him, Voltaire's statue and tomb.

Here there are the tombs of three writers.

Alexandre Dumas (1802—70).

Victor Hugo (1802—85).

Émile Zola (1840—1902). Zola's remains were moved from Montmartre Cemetery to the Panthéon in 1908, when Alfred Dreyfus was present. And the close of the ceremony, anti-Dreyfusard Louis Grégori fired his revolver at Dreyfus, who was only slightly injured in the arm.

Aimé Césaire was buried in his native Martinique, but a wall here is dedicated to him.

'AIMÉ CÉSAIRE

POÈTE, DRAMATURGE, HOMME POLITIQUE MARTINIQUAISE (1913—2008)

DÉPUTÉ DE LA MARTINIQUE (1915—99) ET MAIRE DE FORT-DE-FRANCE (1945—2001)

INLASSABLE ARTISAN DE LA DÉCOLONISATION, BÂTISSEUR

D'UNE "NÉGRITUDE" FONDÉE SUR L'UNIVERSALITÉ DES DROITS

DE L'HOMME "BOUCHE  DES MALHEURS QUI N'ONT POINT DE
BOUCHE", IL A VOULU DONNER AU MONDE, PAR SES ÉCRITS ET

SON ACTION "LA FORCE DE REGARDER DEMAIN"

"J'HABITE UNE BLESSURE SACRÉE
J'HABITE DES ANCÊTRES IMAGINAIRES

J'HABITE UN VOULOIR OBSCUR

J'HABITE UN LONG SILENCE

J'HABITE UNE SOIF IRRÉMÉDIABLE"

Denis Diderot, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris, France: Literary Île-de-France #7

Denis Diderot by Louis-Michel van Loo in 1767.

Diderot's statue on the Boulevard St Germain is said to depict him in dressing gown, and he appears to be engaged in conversation. Inspired by Houdiot's portrait, Gautherin sculpted it in 1886.

But the statue became the subject of a prank several days ago, with Diderot suffering the indignity of a plastic traffic zone on his head and a wine glass in his hand.

And a close-up of the horror. A few days later I passed on the Boulevard St Germain, but forgot to see if the statue had been restored to its former seriousness.