On my last visit to Paris a friend of a friend described this place to me- I knew had to go. I could already see as I reached the black iron gated door at 79 rue de Babylone that this space was going to be exceptional.
Nestled in the heart of the 6e arrondissement in Paris is a little gem of a workshop. At the end of a "cour" (courtyard), a long narrow one filled with trees and plants, you can see the atelier with lots of greenery and palm trees. It was revived by Raphael Lardeur when he came back from war in the early 20’s. He was a great draughtsman and set up a successful stained-glass workshop, creating stained glass for religious monuments. After the 2nd World War, his son Gerard Lardeur continued to use this beautiful space to create stained glass for Romanesque churches and sculptures as well. The space now in the hands of the 3rd generation of the Lardeur family is a space that’s has kept the soul of the past and invites different artists, photographers, filmmakers to show their work and use the space.
When I visited in June there were two artists exhibiting- Pierre Lehec a contemporary painter and Marie Saint-Bris a ceramicist. Both of their works added to the poetic ambiance of the atelier and created an element of spirituality. The ceramics display on the long stained glass cutting table and the paintings on walls were the paint was peeling- really gave the vibe of a working space that has been loved.
One can see how these huge stained glass pieces fitted into these high ceiling space. The light still seeping through the glass pieces that were there and creating blocs of colour on the stone floor. Just magical.
Atelier Lardeur
rue du Cherche Midi
75006 Paris
Artists
Marie Saint-Bris @mariesaintbris
Pierre Lehec @Pierre_lehec