Memo from J-P

For this page of oldquimper.com, we give the floor to Jean-Pierre, who serves as the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) of The Meadows Collection.  Appointed to that position in 2007, he has gamely agreed to attempt the daunting task of taking over the duties previously fulfilled by the late, but ever-present-in-our-hearts, Porquier-Beau...whose image continues to grace the upper left corner of this link.

Jean-Pierre is eleven-years old, which translates to sixty in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate. It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:

Greetings to all.

First a little bit about my background.

I was born in Paris and am thoroughly français despite paperwork that lists me as being a chat de la fôret norvégienne (Norwegian Forest Cat). My full name is Châtelain Jean-Pierre. Châtelain because being born in 2007... December 21, 2007 to be precise...means that in accordance with French regulations, my name must begin with the letter 'c'.  Those born in 2008 have names that begin with a 'd', those born in 2009 have names beginning with the letter 'e' and so on.

Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.

Every once in a while I like to put the spotlight on a specific topic…it might be an unusual example of Quimper pottery or perhaps a further look at a place or structure…something  that I feel will further your enjoyment of French faïence. 

And then again, sometimes I take this opportunity to share with you some of our adventures in Quimper...because one of the results  of being so gob-smacked enamored of Quimper pottery has led to the inevitable and now we live in Quimper...right in the middle of Old Town!

New-fangled phone in hand, here's a snapshot report of the events that unfurled outside our windows this past month...

The gilets jaunes are still going strong...with marches every Saturday since mid-November; the official Quimper gatherings have for the most part been peaceful...  and very musical! Originally demonstrating against a proposed increase in the tax on automobile fuel, the movement successfully convinced the government to postpone the tax. Now the group is focused on voicing their displeasure over the reduction in buying power for the lower and middle classes. 

​Also hitting the streets...

...gilets rouges or red vests...worn by organized groups of retired people and pensioners seeking additional benefits.

And speaking of "hitting the streets"...

My folks may have doctors that attest to the benefits of daily doses of red wine and dark chocolate, but my new veterinarian told them that it would be good for me to experience the great outdoors.  Vive la France!

I've actually never really been outside before and I'm still a bit timid, so I stayed inside while the folks did all sorts of things last month:

They participated in a visit to Notre Dame de Loc Maria church to discuss necessary restorations to the building as it's anniversary approaches...it will soon mark one thousand years since it's founding!

The church is right across the way from the Henriot pottery, so they naturally wanted to check things out, but as luck would have it, it was closed for the lunch break. They did notice, however, the wood panels on the entrance doors:

They hadn't focused in on them before...wood versions of the Renaud plaques that adorn what had been the original  entrance...now the entrance to Pascal Jaouen's embroidery school.

Even though the factory was closed, they found lots to look at in the windows...

Closer to home, an evening stroll found the stained glass of the Cathedral Saint-Corentin illuminated just as l'heure bleue or "the blue hour" was underway: 

This is the north side of the Cathedral; directly across from it is the Mairie (City Hall) and the Musée des Beaux-Arts Quimper (the city's Fine Arts Museum). The skating rink that had been installed in the place (town square) for the holidays is gone and the merry-go-round has returned. 

Some of the carousel's rides pay hommage to writer and Breton native, Jules Verne.

A short walk and they were at a local institution...the Ceili pub...which celebrated its fortieth anniversary with a week-long music fest:

​On another day, the exhibition of photographs by Robert Doisneau (1912-1994) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts Quimper was re-visited:

They came home and told me again how Doisneau had "roamed" the streets of Paris and its suburbs in the first part of the twentieth century, capturing the bonheur (joy) found in everyday life.  

While that was his usual venue, the exhibit also featured images taken of Picasso in the south of France, of life among American socialites in Palm Springs, California and even a number of photographs taken in Brittany...where Doisneau honeymooned with his wife, Pierrette.

 

And leave it to "Mom" to spot the Quimper faïence plates on the shelf in the background of this 1946 Doisneau photo of a conciergerie apartment on rue Dragon in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. 

​There were a number of photographs of people have a great time dancing...

...so the museum had the fantastic idea to host a swing dance in one of its rooms...the one with the Lemordant paintings that used to adorn the dining room of the Hôtel l'Epée:

The public was invited to wear vintage attire of the era...and the newspaper account of the event noted that "un homme" (one man) even wore elegant black and white spectator shoes...very much in vogue in the days prior to World War II.

Don't tell...but I know who it was!

That's my memo for this issue; I hope you enjoy my sharing of our adventures in Quimper!