About the A Walk with Thomas Jefferson Walk in Paris
From 1776 until 1789 three of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, served as ambassadors to Paris. Thomas Jefferson, in particular, delighted in this opportunity to explore the cultural capital of the Enlightenment. His enthusiasm can be glimpsed in a letter from 1785: Behold me at length on the vaunted scene of Europe... You are perhaps, curious to know how this new scene has struck a savage of the mountains of America... Were I to proceed to tell you how much I enjoy their architecture, sculpture, painting, music, I should want words. It is in these arts they shine.
In this three-hour walk, we'll explore the impact of Paris on Jefferson as we trace a course past significant monuments and urban spaces that influenced his architectural and aesthetic sensibilities. As we go along we'll explore the interaction between America and France in the late 18th century and how this "special relationship" evolved over time.
Jefferson had four different
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From 1776 until 1789 three of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, served as ambassadors to Paris. Thomas Jefferson, in particular, delighted in this opportunity to explore the cultural capital of the Enlightenment. His enthusiasm can be glimpsed in a letter from 1785: Behold me at length on the vaunted scene of Europe... You are perhaps, curious to know how this new scene has struck a savage of the mountains of America... Were I to proceed to tell you how much I enjoy their architecture, sculpture, painting, music, I should want words. It is in these arts they shine.
In this three-hour walk, we'll explore the impact of Paris on Jefferson as we trace a course past significant monuments and urban spaces that influenced his architectural and aesthetic sensibilities. As we go along we'll explore the interaction between America and France in the late 18th century and how this "special relationship" evolved over time.
Jefferson had four different residences during his five-year stay in Paris and in his decoration of each one can discern his abiding interest in European decorative arts: He sent over 86 crates home to assure that he could continue his Francophile lifestyle once he returned to America. Jefferson paid keen attention to Parisian architecture, buildings we can still see today such as the Louvre, the Hôtel de la Marine at the Place de la Concorde, and the Palais Royal with an eye toward the future development of an American capital city and his own home, Monticello. As we walk we'll make connections back to American monuments that are deeply connected, through Jefferson, to Paris.
