Hi,
I’m Rahim from the United States. I attend the University of Texas at Austin. It is the year 2004, and I just found this magical journal from my father’s room. It turns out that this journal was passed down through the generations on my mom’s side hence our last names are different. My father is a magician, and now I know why this journal seems to be the most precious thing to him. I was sitting with him the other day, and he finally told me about it. I was ordered not to touch this journal, but I just can’t help myself. Please reply back if you get this journal of mine; I want to see if this really works! I want to know about your country, its history, and your life there compared to mine. What is your name? I heard you live in France. Why is your country so popular? How did it feel going to school in France? What type of clothes did you wear to school? Oh, and one more thing – please don’t mention to my father that we’ve been communicating through here!
Sincerely,
Rahim P.
Hello Rahim,
I’m Lance Hurst. I am a former student from the University of Paris. To answer your question about how my country became so famous, I shall take you back in time. France attained cultural supremacy in Europe during the Middle Ages. Later, wealth grew in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. This attracted Europe’s most talented artists and artisans. Wealth also created a leisure class, which had the time and the means for developing elegance in dress, manners, furnishings, and architecture.
Little boys wore dresses like their sisters until they were about five or six years old. Then, boys wore clothes like their fathers: a jacket with knee breeches.**
The clothes I wore were similar to those of children in neighboring houses. It all depended on the wealth of one’s family; some outfits could be as elaborate as a colorful mosaic. Just the other day, I saw my father in a fully-lined, collarless wool coat with pleated tails in the back. There were large pockets, decorated buttons down the front and on the pocket flaps. He is always wearing his peruke, which is a wig. We pronounce it perruque** here. What about you? What do you wear to your university? What do the grownups wear to college?
Yours truly,
Lance H.
Dear Lance,
That sounds quite interesting! When I go to class, I usually wear casual clothes like a loose, half-sleeved cotton shirt that would normally feature a design or image of some kind on the front. Pants and jeans, which are made of denim, are popular in the U.S. at this time. For business meetings we wear coats, such as what professors would wear to class on a daily basis.
I went to class yesterday and learned about architecture. What can you tell me about the architecture in Paris, or better yet, France as a whole? I, myself, am new to this university. I came across many sculptures and paintings last Tuesday. Art, in general, is remarkable, but I think sculptures give art more life. Can you tell me what type of art France has brought to the world’s attention? How does it relate to history? Do you know any artists or architects at a personal level? Is there an art class at your university?
Take it easy,
Rahim P.
Greetings Rahim,
I do not know any artists or architects personally, but I do know much about them. Let’s see how much I remember from my schooldays. My country is known for its great Gothic churches. Most were built between the twelfth and fifteenth century. An important piece of great Gothic architecture is the Sainte-Chapelle. Gothic architecture and art was from the twelfth to the fifteenth century. I remember learning that it focused on idealization and naturalism. These tendencies are manifest in the sculpture of the Reims and Amiens cathedrals. I was very influenced by the schools of painting here. If only you could have been here to experience what I have experienced! We have discussed topics like impressionism.
The art of stained glass began in the thirteenth century with the development of the cathedral. This is one of the essential pieces of French art I learned and will never forget. Architecture brought momentum. At the same time Paris became a center of painting, in which Italian innovations were being adopted. Paris is now becoming the center of painting and developing quickly. What I mean to say is that architecture and art are like brother and sister here.
I’ve been taught that France has many world-famous painters, and several influential schools of painting, including impressionism. Some of the French Mannerist painters of the sixteenth century were Jean Clouet and François Clouet. It turns out that François was Jean’s son. Many patrons of art emerged. Jean Goujon and Germain Pilon were famous sixteenth century Mannerist sculptors. Pierre Puget of the seventeenth century sculpted in the baroque style. I’m not sure if you have learned about this yet, but I just thought it would be something you’d like to know. My father tells me that Puget was the one who inspired Jean Baptiste Pigalle and Claude Michel, who were elaborate French sculptors. After all, one of the reasons why these pieces of art are sculpted is to inspire. So, how was your day? What new and exciting things happened today in school? Were you able to find out more about the Gothic style I was talking about? Tell me more about the buildings at your university.
Sincerely,
Lance H.
Dearest Lance,
It has been a week since I have written to you, but that is because so much has happened here! Yes, I do remember learning about Gothic architecture in John Ruskin’s “The Nature of Gothic.” Correct me if I’m wrong. There are six moral elements of Gothic, and they are savageness, changefulness, naturalism, grotesqueness, rigidity, and redundancy (673).**
Every time I pass by the main building on campus, I think about tall buildings and monuments such as the Eiffel Tower. We have the Sears Tower, which is in Chicago, and the Empire State Building located in New York City.** If you are wondering what the main building’s purpose is, I’d be glad to tell you. It is where all the paper work for tuition payments, admissions, and other issues are considered. The old main building was actually built in 1883 but demolished in the 1930s, so that the main building that stands today could be built (321).** The new main building now is of Spanish style. The difference from the old and the new was style. I’d like to know more about architectural style from you.
My class and I went on a tour of the campus of the university. We came across architectural designs that included images of animals and angels with feet that looked like plants. I learned about perfection and the missed opportunities of making the mark. We went towards Sutton Hall, which is the architecture building, and witnessed sculptures of griffins and images of angels. This made me think about the past, and how these pieces of art influenced the people when they were first made. I learned silly jokes like the one about how to tell the difference between a gargoyle and griffin. The gargoyle is similar to the griffin except that it spits water and the griffin does not.
There are not many sculptures of females at UT. The construction of Sutton Hall abides the medieval tradition. It reveals the art of Madonna and child with angels on the side. This is also the style from the Renaissance. Not many buildings or architectural works include both these styles. Inside the library, we came across griffins guarding the university’s logo. As we walked, we saw zodiac signs outside in the shape of medallions. I am sure they have zodiac signs in your time. I believe the architects of this building put them there to symbolize that we contributed to its construction. I wonder if you took short trips here and there like we do to better our understanding. It is a unique way to learn and explore.
The University Baptist Church is also a profound piece of architecture. There are some buildings here whose design is modernist except for the Spanish roof. Hundreds of years ago, the University of Texas was architecturally described as a Spanish school. I have some more questions. I hope you don’t mind that I am asking all this information from you. Then again, you are getting information from me about my school. I would like to know more about the Eiffel Tower and its history. That fascinates me!
Thank you,
Rahim P.
Hi Rahim,
No, I don’t mind answering questions for you at all. This is what your father and I always do. No, we did not take these tours like you all do. Wow! The main building sure sounds captivating! I give my condolences for the old main building that they destroyed. I can picture it here on my campus by the way you described it!
Rahim, I am not sure about the exact numbers of the Eiffel Tower, but my uncle knows people around the corner. He found out some information for me, and that is what I have to tell you. He said that it is has 2.5 million bolts and pins. It took a total of three hundred workers to construct and has fifteen thousand pieces of iron; that’s not including the rivets.** Are you ready for this – it took three thousand workshop drawings, seven hundred engineering plans, and forty tons of paint. It measures 1,050 feet high and its approximate weight is seventy-three hundred tons4. The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris in 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. Seven hundred proposals were submitted and Gustave Eiffel's was the one chosen.** However, there were many who protested the design. Don’t be too sure about these numbers; I got them from my uncle when he consumed too much liquor. Sorry I was not able to go to campus and ask previous professors about this. Students visit the Eiffel Tower often, especially international students.
Yours truly,
Lance H.
Dearest Lance,
Yesterday I came back from class and felt in a real joyous mood. I listened to music and danced until it was dinner time. That reminds me, what did you do after school for fun? I listen to hip hop and rap. Surely, you are clueless about this topic. Rap is self expression in a poem-like approach. Artists of these songs convey to their audience anger and relief of life through poetry and rhythm. Hip hop is very similar to rap, but it deals with more dancing.
After dinner, I read a book entitled Cyborg Citizen. It talks about the future of life and technology. What are some of the books you read? How has literature evolved in France? How does literature affect political issues in France? Were your teachers nice or did you have cruel ones that did not care much about your progress in class? What are some rules you must follow at school? Please, tell me about the subjects that interested you the most when you were studying at the University of Paris.
Sincerely,
Rahim P.
Hi Rahim,
I am intrigued by your interest of hip hop and rap. Though I do not know what it is nor have I ever heard it in my life, I may look into that and start something similar over here. I was very confused about the cyborg part in your last letter, but that’s ok. I’m sure I will learn about it as time progresses.
Although the method of teaching is probably different from over there in that time compared to here in this time, my teachers were quite nice, actually. We discuss topics such as religion. Theology was brought by a monk known as the “Decretum Gratiani.” He was from Bologna. School attendance is compulsory for adolescents and teenagers, and all public schools up to the university level are free. One must be qualified to enroll at a higher public education free of charge. There are also private schools and colleges just like you mentioned, most controlled by the Roman Catholic Church.
For entertainment purposes, I listen to music after school. We have the chansons de geste. These are epic poems sung by minstrels. You might like to call them “deed songs.” These deal with love, nature, war, and the activeness of the country. In my opinion, the most influential French composer of the fourteenth century was Guillaume de Machaut.
Not only is music a part of my life, but I also read and write in my free time. French literature reflects the cultural and political history of the country as a whole. We have a social and political system that is arranged by rank or class. These give specific rules governing how each member of a class should interact with a member of another class. The aspect of culture and society started literary genres and literary styles. On the level of status, epic poetry was at the top and the more common style of literature, such as the novel writing, was at the bottom. Since the time of the Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, French writing has been characterized by creative freedom and innovation. I personally enjoy seventeenth century playwright Pierre Corneille. Some of his pieces I like most are Le Cid, Cinna, and Polyeucte.
I enjoy history. Today, students learn about our history in classrooms just like you learn about your nation’s history. The French Revolution is one of the most important events in history. The best part about my history class was learning about France’s greatest hero of the nineteenth century. Napoleon Bonaparte conquered most of Western Europe and Egypt and organized reforms, which improved the quality of life. He crowned himself emperor of France in 1804 and introduced reforms in order to unify the nation. I see him as the American George Washington.
Sincerely,
Lance H.
Lance,
My homework is to find a poet or novelist from France. I went to the library, and I could not find anything of relevance. I need your help! Can you give me a name of who I should look for so I can begin my assignment? My professor also asked to find the French writer who was known for writing “The Human Comedy,” a series of novels.
Please reply,
Rahim P.
Dear Rahim,
You may want to research Victor Hugo. He was a French poet, novelist, and playwright who passed away just a few years ago. I believe he is just what you are looking for. He was one of the founders of surrealism. Regarding your concern for the writer of “The Human Comedy,” that was written by Honre de Balzac. Ha ha! Aren’t you glad you have a friend like me? And you thought I wasn’t going to be very useful.
Yours truly,
Lance H.
Dear Lance,
I’d never looked at history in this way. I’ve realized now that history plays a magnificent role in educational institutes. Thank you for all your help, Lance. I hope to hear from you some other day when my father comes back.
With best regards,
Rahim P.
Dear Rahim,
Yes, it was nice to talk to you too. I can’t wait for the future to arrive. Though I may not be able to live in your time, this was a real fun experience. I enjoyed talking to you and sharing each others thoughts about architecture and art.
All the best,
Lance H.