The Grand Flourish
A man-made mountain blanketed in royal blue and purple flowers and set within former palace grounds, now the world’s largest museum, conjures up the type of grand flourish once commissioned by kings.
Its construction within the Cour Carrée, the exquisite quadrilateral courtyard at the Louvre’s east end, began as it always does ahead of Paris Fashion Week: first the fencing, then the frame demarcating the perimeter of the tent, followed by the support beams and white shell. But at some point last week, there were signs that this structure would be different; namely, an undulating wood grid protruding from one of its sides. Over the next few days, a team totaling 100 continued adding to the structure so that by Wednesday, museumgoers peering out from the royal apartments began marveling at – and photographing – half-planted hill.
