What’s in a name? On the Avenue des Gobelins, the answer is a colorful tale woven into the very fabric of Paris. The Avenue des Gobelins, a bustling thoroughfare today, owes its name to a family of dyers who established their workshops here in the 15th century. The Gobelins, specializing in a vibrant scarlet dye, set up shop near the Bièvre River, a hub for tanners and dyers in those days. Their success was such that the Gobelin name became synonymous with dyeing, and eventually, with the renowned tapestry workshops that would bear their name. While the original Gobelin dyeing workshops are long gone, their legacy lives on in the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins. This institution, established under the reign of King Henri IV, transformed the Gobelins’ former domain into a royal factory for exquisite tapestries and furniture. Under the patronage of Louis XIV, the Gobelins tapestry workshops reached new heights, furnishing the opulent halls of Versailles with their intricate designs. Today, the Avenue des Gobelins stands as a testament to both the family’s dyeing prowess and the enduring artistry of the tapestry workshops. Taking a stroll down the Avenue des Gobelins, you can almost imagine the clatter of looms and the scent of dyes mingling with the river air, a vibrant reminder of the area’s rich artistic heritage.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to