Mascarons of Paris: Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis

This is the front door of l'Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, in Paris 4th Arr. The church in this iteration was completed in the 17th century, although the diocese of Saint-Paul goes back to the 12th century.

This is the real, unfiltered color.

l'Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis.

I'm not sure what lions signify as mascarons, to the Catholic church or anywhere else. But lions are everywhere in the older art and architecture of France, which I find telling. Not to anthropomorphize the African lion, but as symbols, the males seem to connote a type of ruthless thuggery. They don't hunt, but take the spoils of the females in their pride. Much of their lives are spent trying to kill off other male lions (and their cubs) and breeding as much as they can. I'm sure I have oversimplified, but that is the popular conception, and it's easy to see why this would resonate among the upper echelons of society.

Look out, Sugar! A Duke!


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