
Why, Oh Why, Do We Love Paris?: The Timeless Charm of the City of Light
Sat, Mar 29
|Smithsonian Associates
Smithsonian Associates online seminar on Paris.


Time & Location
Mar 29, 2025, 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Smithsonian Associates
About the event
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
It’s hard to identify the je ne sais quoi that gives Paris its powerful appeal. What elements at its heart have set it apart over the centuries? A wealth of landmark churches from the great Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris to the delicate Sainte-Chapelle with its stunning stained-glass windows? Perhaps it’s the Art Nouveau entrances designed by architect Hector Guimard that frame the Paris Metro stations. Or the Centre Pompidou, famous for its unique inside-out architecture marked by colorful exterior pipes and an industrial vibe. It might also be the city’s propensity to transform itself. For example, the Louvre—a medieval fortress, then royal residence, then world-class museum—was again reimagined with the addition of I.M. Pei’s controversial pyramid-shaped entrance.
Janetta Rebold Benton, distinguished professor of art history at Pace University, unravels Paris's evolution into a global cultural icon, delving into its history of art…