- Chronicle
Washington Irving, ‘A Contented Man’, 1837
[American writer Washington Irving (1783–1859) is best known for his Tales of the Alhambra and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
- Chronicle
A chronicler during the reign of Louis XV
Louis-Dominique Bontemps (1738–1766) was first valet to King Louis XV and governor of the Tuileries Palace and Garden. In 1760, he decided that wooden rental chairs would join the existing stone benches – and the proceeds of this activity were to be given to his mistress, Paris Opéra dancer Marie Allard!
- Chronicle
Henri Pol, bird charmer
During the Second Empire, bird charmers appeared in the Tuileries Garden.
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Through the eyes of painters and photographers
Artists have always found the Tuileries Garden appealing.
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Fashion plates
In the 17th century, fashion trends started at the Tuileries Garden.
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Urban furniture, or the image of Paris
Paris would not be Paris without its public benches. Part of the urban furniture that helped forge the capital’s identity.
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The Tuileries Garden benches, a subject of literature
Guy de MAUPASSANT, Notre Cœur, 1889-1890 (translated as A Woman's Pastime, 1903, St. Dunstan Society)
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Seating in public gardens
The Tuileries Garden was one of the first – if not the very first – in the world to make seating available to the public.
- Adopt a bench
Say it with a bench
Every year, millions of visitors stroll the Tuileries Garden. Its benches have witnessed many stories and encounters. With the help of a crowdfunding campaign, the Louvre is now embarking on a project aiming to...