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At a Family Workshop Near Paris, the ‘Drowned Mona Lisa’ Lives On At a Family Workshop Near Paris, the ‘Drowned Mona Lisa’ Lives On
(about 9 hours later)
ARCUEIL, France — The most famous person to have died in the Seine River has no identity at all. She is “L’Inconnue de la Seine” — the Unknown Woman of the Seine.ARCUEIL, France — The most famous person to have died in the Seine River has no identity at all. She is “L’Inconnue de la Seine” — the Unknown Woman of the Seine.
Here is her story. In the late 19th century, the body of an unidentified young woman was fished out of the Seine in Paris. Because her body was free of wounds and blemishes, she was presumed to have committed suicide. The pathologist at the morgue that received her body was so mesmerized by her beauty that he called in a mouleur — a molder — to preserve her face in a plaster death mask. Here is her story. In the late 19th century, the body of an unidentified young woman was fished out of the Seine in Paris. Because her body was free of wounds and blemishes, she was presumed to have committed suicide. The pathologist at the morgue that received her body was so mesmerized by her beauty that he called in a “mouleur” — a molder — to preserve her face in a plaster death mask.
In the decades that followed, the mask was mass-produced and sold as a decorative item for the walls of private homes and studios, first in Paris, then abroad. L’Inconnue became a muse for artists, poets and writers, among them Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Rainer Maria Rilke and Vladimir Nabokov. L’Inconnue hung in the studio of Albert Camus, who called her a “drowned Mona Lisa.” She inspired some of the films of François Truffaut. In the decades that followed, the mask was mass-produced and sold as a decorative item for the walls of private homes and studios, first in Paris, then abroad. L’Inconnue became a muse for artists, poets and other writers, among them Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Rainer Maria Rilke and Vladimir Nabokov. L’Inconnue hung in the studio of Albert Camus, who called her a “drowned Mona Lisa.” She inspired some of the films of François Truffaut.
L’Inconnue is kept alive these days in an out-of-the-way, family-run workshop in the southern Paris suburb of Arcueil. Founded in 1871, the workshop, L’Atelier Lorenzi, creates handmade, perfectly molded plaster copies of figurines, busts, statues and masks the way it has for four generations. But it is best-known for L’Inconnue. L’Inconnue is kept alive these days in an out-of-the-way, family-run workshop in the southern Paris suburb of Arcueil. Founded in 1871, the workshop, L’Atelier Lorenzi, creates handmade, perfectly molded plaster copies of figurines, busts, statues and masks the way it has for four generations. But it is best known for L’Inconnue.
In a box on the second floor of the atelier is its most precious possession: a 19th-century, chestnut-brown plaster mold of a death mask that is said to be that of L’Inconnue.In a box on the second floor of the atelier is its most precious possession: a 19th-century, chestnut-brown plaster mold of a death mask that is said to be that of L’Inconnue.
“You ask me if my great-grandfather made the mold himself, and I don’t know,” said Laurent Lorenzi Forestier, who runs the family business. “You ask me how the morgue organized the casting of the mold, and I don’t know. What I do know is that we have a mold from that period in time.”“You ask me if my great-grandfather made the mold himself, and I don’t know,” said Laurent Lorenzi Forestier, who runs the family business. “You ask me how the morgue organized the casting of the mold, and I don’t know. What I do know is that we have a mold from that period in time.”
L’Inconnue’s face is serene. Her cheeks are round and full, her skin smooth, her eyelashes matted to give the impression that they are still wet. Her hair is parted in the middle and pulled back behind her neck. She is young, perhaps still a teenager. She is pleasant-looking, but not classically beautiful.L’Inconnue’s face is serene. Her cheeks are round and full, her skin smooth, her eyelashes matted to give the impression that they are still wet. Her hair is parted in the middle and pulled back behind her neck. She is young, perhaps still a teenager. She is pleasant-looking, but not classically beautiful.
It is the mystery of her half-smile that haunts. Her lips lack definition, perhaps the result of her body’s deterioration. She seems happy in death or maybe only asleep. And her eyes look as if they might open at any time.It is the mystery of her half-smile that haunts. Her lips lack definition, perhaps the result of her body’s deterioration. She seems happy in death or maybe only asleep. And her eyes look as if they might open at any time.
Skeptics have claimed that the woman depicted in the mask could not have been a drowning victim, because her features are too perfect. Some scholars assert that it was common practice to resculpt death masks at the time.Skeptics have claimed that the woman depicted in the mask could not have been a drowning victim, because her features are too perfect. Some scholars assert that it was common practice to resculpt death masks at the time.
L’Inconnue has been imagined in literature as a victim: an orphan who drowns herself in the Seine after an English aristocrat seduces then abandons her. She also has been portrayed as a witch who destroys a young poet, and as a seductress who witnesses a robbery and murder in a clockmaker’s shop. No documents survive in the Paris police archives. No trace of her body was found. L’Inconnue has been imagined in literature as a victim: an orphan who drowns herself in the Seine after an English aristocrat seduces and then abandons her. She also has been portrayed as a witch who destroys a young poet, and as a seductress who witnesses a robbery and murder in a clockmaker’s shop. No documents survive in the Paris police archives. No trace of her body was found.
“Maybe the mold was taken before her facial muscles began to fall,” said Juan José Garcia, a master mold maker here for 29 years. “Maybe. Maybe.”“Maybe the mold was taken before her facial muscles began to fall,” said Juan José Garcia, a master mold maker here for 29 years. “Maybe. Maybe.”
Copies of the mask hang in most of the rooms in the two-story wood-beamed building, which was built as a relay postal station in the 19th century and is badly in need of roof repair. It overflows with other treasures: copies of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman busts; medieval figurines; Renaissance nudes; antique polychrome Chinese horses.Copies of the mask hang in most of the rooms in the two-story wood-beamed building, which was built as a relay postal station in the 19th century and is badly in need of roof repair. It overflows with other treasures: copies of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman busts; medieval figurines; Renaissance nudes; antique polychrome Chinese horses.
A copy of Houdon’s “Bust of Molière” is for sale, as are busts of Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, Napoleon, Henri IV, Julius Caesar and Dante. Boxes of assorted body parts line the wall of one storage room. In another, the casts are dried the old-fashioned way: with the heat of a potbellied, coal-fueled stove. A copy of Houdon’s “Bust of Molière” is for sale, as are busts of Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, Napoleon, Henry IV, Julius Caesar and Dante. Boxes of assorted body parts line the wall of one storage room. In another, the casts are dried the old-fashioned way: with the heat of a potbellied, coal-fueled stove.
In recent years, the family has added to its repertoire and now makes the casts in silicone — much like silicone baking molds. Many of the works are now made in resin, which is more durable than plaster, especially in outdoor installations. The casts can be painted to resemble various materials, including gilded wood, bronze, terra cotta, marble and stone.In recent years, the family has added to its repertoire and now makes the casts in silicone — much like silicone baking molds. Many of the works are now made in resin, which is more durable than plaster, especially in outdoor installations. The casts can be painted to resemble various materials, including gilded wood, bronze, terra cotta, marble and stone.
Much of the shop’s business comes from governmental and commercial commissions. When the four sculptures outside France’s National Assembly began to crumble, the Lorenzis were called in to replace them with copies in resin. They have made resin trees for Disneyland Paris and resin stonelike decorations for Versailles. Film studios, boutiques and fashion houses including Hermès and Dior have rented sculptures from them.Much of the shop’s business comes from governmental and commercial commissions. When the four sculptures outside France’s National Assembly began to crumble, the Lorenzis were called in to replace them with copies in resin. They have made resin trees for Disneyland Paris and resin stonelike decorations for Versailles. Film studios, boutiques and fashion houses including Hermès and Dior have rented sculptures from them.
The company’s best sellers are busts of Marianne, the symbol of the French republic, which sit in most local, regional and national governmental offices in France; and, of course, L’Inconnue ($130 for her death mask in white plaster, $175 with a shiny glaze).The company’s best sellers are busts of Marianne, the symbol of the French republic, which sit in most local, regional and national governmental offices in France; and, of course, L’Inconnue ($130 for her death mask in white plaster, $175 with a shiny glaze).
In 2008, high rent forced the family to abandon its original shop on Rue Racine on the Left Bank near the Seine and consolidate its entire operation in the workshop in Arcueil. Then crises in the family made it more difficult to keep the business going In 2008, high rent forced the family to abandon its original shop on Rue Racine on the Left Bank near the Seine and consolidate its entire operation in the workshop in Arcueil. Then crises in the family made it more difficult to keep the business going.
“There seemed to be no solution except to close,” Mr. Forestier said. “But it was my great-grandfather who opened the atelier when he moved to Paris, originally from a small town in Tuscany. We have more than a century of history. I couldn’t let that happen.”“There seemed to be no solution except to close,” Mr. Forestier said. “But it was my great-grandfather who opened the atelier when he moved to Paris, originally from a small town in Tuscany. We have more than a century of history. I couldn’t let that happen.”
So Mr. Forestier, a 65-year-old architect who retired from his job as an urban planner a year ago, took over the family business with his associate Quentin Thomas, who had worked as a molder at the atelier for over 20 years. There is now a Facebook page and an internet site.So Mr. Forestier, a 65-year-old architect who retired from his job as an urban planner a year ago, took over the family business with his associate Quentin Thomas, who had worked as a molder at the atelier for over 20 years. There is now a Facebook page and an internet site.
But the works can be expensive — a mold can cost $2,000 to make, a cast upward of $1,000. Mr. Forestier often is asked why he doesn’t mass-produce the casts in China.But the works can be expensive — a mold can cost $2,000 to make, a cast upward of $1,000. Mr. Forestier often is asked why he doesn’t mass-produce the casts in China.
“Out of the question!” he said.“Out of the question!” he said.
In the 1960s, L’Inconnue became famous in a different way — as a first aid mannequin to teach CPR. Peter Safar, an Austrian doctor had recently developed the basics of CPR. He turned to Asmund Laerdal, a Norwegian toymaker, who coincidentally had rescued his young son from drowning, and they decided to create a life-size mannequin as a training tool. In the 1960s, L’Inconnue became famous in a different way — as a first aid mannequin to teach CPR. Peter Safar, an Austrian doctor, had recently developed the basics of CPR. He turned to Asmund Laerdal, a Norwegian toymaker, who coincidentally had rescued his young son from drowning, and they decided to create a life-size mannequin as a training tool.
Mr. Laerdal wanted a female doll, assuming that men would not want to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a male dummy. He saw a death mask of L’Inconnue at a relative’s home, was struck by her beauty, and decided to make her his model. She was called “Resusci Anne” (“CPR Annie” in the United States) and became a physical symbol of salvation. Since then, millions of people have learned CPR on her, making her the world’s most beloved life-size doll. Mr. Laerdal wanted a female doll, assuming that men would not want to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a male dummy. He saw a death mask of L’Inconnue at a relative’s home, was struck by her beauty and decided to make her his model. She was called “Resusci Anne” (“CPR Annie” in the United States) and became a physical symbol of salvation. Since then, millions of people have learned CPR on her, making her the world’s most beloved life-size doll.
As the company’s website explained: “Inspired by the ‘young woman of the Seine,’ CPR Annie has become the symbol of life for millions of people around the world who have received training in modern techniques of resuscitation and for those whose lives have been saved from unnecessary death.”As the company’s website explained: “Inspired by the ‘young woman of the Seine,’ CPR Annie has become the symbol of life for millions of people around the world who have received training in modern techniques of resuscitation and for those whose lives have been saved from unnecessary death.”