La Défense #6: Spring / Printemps / Frühling
By Hans-Josef Jeanrond on Tuesday 20 March 2007, 22:28 - Permalink
“Frühlingsdirigent”
The sculpture “Le Somnambule” by De Miller seems to be conducting a
crescendo of blossoms coming out in early spring.
(Click on the image to enlarge)
Spring at la Défense?
Most people will argue that you can’t distinguish the seasons at this business
precinct of high rise buildings. And indeed, apart from the central plane-tree
alley along the Esplanade, there are not many plants to be seen that could
indicate the seasons.
Nevertheless, you will have to agree that the following images symbolise spring
as well as any.
They were taken last year at Place de l’Iris, on a day with typical
April-weather: Showers and sunshine in rapid succession. Sheltering during a
shower, I ventured into the square with the first sunlight and took these
images of “spring at la Défense”: Trees planted in concrete containers,
carefully aligned, reflected in the windows of a pavilion structure – but trees
in full bloom, unmistakably announcing spring. The reflection in the windows
makes the profusion of blossoms seem even more abundant.
This year, spring weather and blossoms came much earlier, and now that the
calendar marks the start of spring, the weather puts us back into winter.
Seasonal variations or climatic change? Who knows. Let us hope that we will be
back in spring next week.
“Frühlingsspaziergang”
The cut-off pedestrian made me think of Otto Steinert’s “Ein-Fuss-Gänger”. Not that I would dare to compare myself to
Otto Steinert, but since I was born in Saarbrücken, like him, he was of course
my local hero, and this image of his was one of my earliest photographic
references.
“Printemps”
The bright sunlight after the shower produced this emblematic image of
spring.
“Frühlingsimpressionen”
The double reflection in the window panes creates this “impressionist”
image.