Fontaine des Haudriettes: a small fountain in Paris’ 3rd district
I have always loved this small fountain located on an inconspicuous street corner of Le Marais in Paris. There is a beautiful sculpture relief depicting a woman with her back turned that reminds me of one of my favorite paintings at the Louvre, The Grande Odalisque, 1814 by Jean Auguste Dominique.
The base relief is actually by Pierre-Philippe Mignot. The entire fountain was erected in the 18th century in order to provide drinking water to the neighborhood.
The term “Haudriettes” refers to the Hôtel des Haudriettes, a convent located in the Marais district. The Haudriettes were a religious order founded in the 13th century, named after their founder, Haumette or Aumette, the wife of a Parisian merchant. They were established to care for the sick and to bury the dead during the plague. The convent was located around the area which is now the Musée Picasso.
