Sidewalk Art

Some time last fall, I found myself on Avenue Montaigne, fashion center of Paris, midway between one errand and another, when I spotted these mosaics embedded in the sidewalk. I was pressed for time and couldn't explore up and down the street to document what I assumed was a full series. Later I scoured the Web looking for information about their provenance and I even sent an e-mail to the neighborhood association looking for details. And I found....bupkis.

For months, I kept telling myself I'd go back, some day when I had the wherewithal to stroll the avenue from the Pont de l'Alma to the Rond Point of the Champs Élysées, up one side and down the other. But between the grim weather and lots of other things on my "to do" list, it just never happened.

So imagine my disappointment when finally last weekend, I set off with my camera to document more mosaics. I even dragged one of my kids along with me. And what did I find? Bupkis again.

So why the salute to these two long ago couteriers and nothing more? Enlighten me if you can; otherwise we'll all remain in the dark.