Saint-Lambert in Paris in Département de Paris, Île-de-France, France — Western Europe

La Ruche

— Histoire de Paris —

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 28, 2024

1. La Ruche Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Fin 1900, les pavillons de l'Exposition universelle étaient à vendre. Un sculpteur en vogue, Alfred Boucher, qui avait acheté peu cher un terrain de 5000 m² proche des fortifications, se porta acquéreur de la rotonde des vins. construite par Eiffel, et de nombreux autres pavillons légers. Il réédifia ici un ensemble inauguré au printemps 1902, sorte de phalanstère artistique de quelque 140 ateliers. Alfred Boucher devint mécène en logeant, pour un loyer ridicule, de jeunes artistes: peintres, sculpteurs, écrivains, tels Léger, Chagall, Zadkine, Soutihe, Archipenko.... Boucher les appelait ses abeilles, et le pavillon fut nommé La Ruche. Lui-même s'était fait construire une petite maison, où il vécut jusqu'à sa mort en 1934.

(English translation:)
At the end of 1900, the pavilions of the Exposition Universelle were for sale. A fashionable sculptor, Alfred Boucher, who had bought a 5000 m² plot of land near the fortifications for a low price, purchased the rotunda of wines, built by Eiffel, and many other light pavilions. Here he rebuilt a complex inaugurated in the spring of 1902, a sort of artistic phalanstery of some 140 studios. Alfred Boucher became a patron by housing, for minimal rent, young artists: painters, sculptors, writers, such as Léger, Chagall, Zadkine, Soutihe, Archipenko.... Boucher called them his bees, and the pavilion was named La Ruche (“the Hive”). He himself had a small house built, where he lived until his death in 1934.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Histoire de Paris series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 48° 49.943′ N, 2° 17.835′ E. Marker is in Paris, Île-de-France, in Département de Paris. It is in Saint-Lambert. It is on Passage

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de Dantzig, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 Passage de Dantzig, Paris, Île-de-France 75015, France. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

a coastal Mediterranean country,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a French colony

and also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Alfred Boucher (1850-1934) (a few steps from this marker); Roger Corrouge (within shouting distance of this marker); Paul Budant (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Germain Bedeau (about 210 meters away); Le Stade Légion Saint-Michel / Legion Saint-Michel Stadium (about 240 meters away); Parc Georges-Brassens (1991) (about 240 meters away); Les abattoirs / The Slaughterhouses (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Rue Olivier de Serres Deported Jewish Students Memorial (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paris.

Also see . . . La Ruche (residence) (Wikipedia).

La Ruche Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 28, 2024

2. La Ruche Marker - wide view

Looking south on Passage de Dantzig, the marker is visible here on the right. The La Ruche building itself is a couple of properties south of the marker on the right side of the street, but very little of it is actually visible from the street.

Excerpt:

Located in the Passage Dantzig, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, La Ruche is a three-storey circular structure that got its name because it looked more like a large beehive than a dwelling for humans. Originally a temporary building designed by Gustave Eiffel for use as a wine rotunda at the Great Exposition of 1900, the structure was dismantled and re-erected as low-cost studios for artists by Alfred Boucher (1850–1934), a sculptor, who wanted to help young artists by providing them with shared models and an exhibition space open to all residents. As well as to artists, La Ruche became a home to transients.

Like Montmartre, few places have ever housed such artistic talent as found at La Ruche. At one time or another in those early years of the 20th century, Guillaume Apollinaire, Alexander Archipenko, Joseph Csaky, Gustave Miklos, Alexandre Altmann, Ossip Zadkine, Moise Kisling, Marc Chagall, Max Pechstein, Nina Hamnett, Isaac Frenkel Frenel, Fernand Léger, Jacques Lipchitz, Pinchus Kremegne, Max Jacob, Blaise Cendrars, Chaïm Soutine, Robert Delaunay, Amedeo Modigliani, Constantin Brâncuși, Micheal Farrell, Amshey
via Wikimedia Commons, December 15, 1918

3. La Ruche
Nurenberg, Diego Rivera, Marevna, Luigi Guardigli, Miklos Bokor, Michel Sima, Marek Szwarc, José Balmes, Gracia Barrios, Wacław Zawadowski, Kazimierz Brandel, and others, called the place home or frequented it. Today, works by some of these poorer residents and their close friends sell well, even in the millions of dollars.

(Submitted on January 21, 2025.)

Additional keywords. panneau

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 194 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 21, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.