Weekly Photo Challenge: Solitary Fight
Grenoble, France: lion de Saint-Laurent, Fontaine au lion, by ; Victor Sappey
Fontaine au lion in Grenoble, near the bridge Saint-Laurent. The lion symbolizes the city, defeating the Isère river, represented by a snake. Sculpture by Victor Sappey, 1843. Sappey was inspired by the violent encounter of the two rivers, which was often punctuated by devastating floods. The fountain was carved directly into the stone.
At first I shot a version of this photo in the middle of the day, but the hard light ruined the atmosphere, so I decided to return in the night-time and shoot it again. To me it’s something solitary over this statue in the sense that you’ll have to fight your own fights in this life: no one can fight them for you.
Now that you’re here, please enjoy this clip with classical guitar. I composed the tune while my friend Sjur made the rhythm. We played this song in my mom’s funeral and it’s called “A Tune For Mom”.
Here’s another fountain sculpted by Vitor Sappeys: Chateau d’eau, Place Grenette, Grenoble.
Related Posts:
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Solitary (dailypost.wordpress.com)
You’ll find more of my music in these posts:
I like this picture.
September 22, 2012 at 08:50
Glad to hear you like it Connie.
September 23, 2012 at 18:58
The tension in the photograph is remarkable.
September 22, 2012 at 09:19
Yes, it’s a really great fountain. I love it!
September 23, 2012 at 18:58
thanks for the good interpretation of the lion sculpture!
September 22, 2012 at 09:35
Thanks Frizzman. Did you listen to the song? I know you like guitars, so you might like this tune since it’s only guitars.
September 23, 2012 at 18:59
great post and love the music, being a guitar player myself can enjoy even more so…thank you..
September 22, 2012 at 10:28
Thanks for listening and commenting, I appreciate it a lot. Please leave a link if you have any music clips online to share.
September 23, 2012 at 19:01
Exceptional!
September 22, 2012 at 10:37
September 23, 2012 at 19:01
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he is very imposing isn’t he
September 22, 2012 at 11:10
Yes. it was probably a lot of work to carve out this fountain. Victor Sappey was truly talented.
September 23, 2012 at 19:03
Great post…
September 22, 2012 at 11:15
Thanks Bams.
September 23, 2012 at 19:03
Good music.
September 22, 2012 at 11:34
I like it when people like my music. Thanks!
September 23, 2012 at 19:04
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The lion watching us…
Like the music too…
September 22, 2012 at 12:40
I think the fountain is a great interpretation by Victor Sappey. Glad to hear that you like my music as well.
September 23, 2012 at 19:05
This is great shot, I like it. Happy weekend too my friend @Cardinal, thanks a lot for the advice camera setting explosure, I appreciate it.
September 22, 2012 at 13:27
No problem, anytime!
It never hurts to help people out: for all you know it might come back and bite you in the ass some day
September 23, 2012 at 19:07
I like your take on this challenge!
September 22, 2012 at 14:08
Thanks Photography Journal Blog.
September 23, 2012 at 19:09
Superb combination again – the music really works well with the image to create a nice tension. Nice tribute to your mum too.
September 22, 2012 at 15:50
Thanks again Richard. Glad you like the tribute to my mom.
September 23, 2012 at 19:10
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That’s one scary lion.
September 23, 2012 at 05:55
It seems like a rough battle that they’re having there.
September 23, 2012 at 19:11
To be honest, that lion is a little creepy. Kudos to you for returning at night or this shot wouldn’t have come out half as powerful as it is now.
PS: I am back!
PPS: What happened to the ‘like’ button?
September 23, 2012 at 19:22
Glad to have you back! On the recent blog anniversary I decided to try out life without the like button for a while. Just to see if I like it!
September 23, 2012 at 19:26
I didn’t know you could get rid of it. How do you do that?
September 24, 2012 at 05:47
It was somewhere in the settings. I removed the likes and then you can add them again individually for each post when you write a new post.
September 24, 2012 at 08:41
I honestly don’t know what to say Cardinal! The music is such a poignant tribute to your mother and I hear so much tenderness and hope in those notes. Love the power in your lion shot!
September 23, 2012 at 20:45
Thank you so much for this wonderful comment Patti.
September 23, 2012 at 21:27
Very powerful indeed, love the lion!
September 23, 2012 at 23:56
Thanks Miss Smc. The lion is a stunning piece of art.
September 24, 2012 at 08:42
like the lion
September 24, 2012 at 00:42
love the music and video
September 24, 2012 at 00:43
Glad you like the music
September 24, 2012 at 08:49
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You are nuts
… I have noticed only now your star description .D. They’ve banned all video contents access on our computers at work so I will see it at home. One thing I want to tell you. The mere pic and text have earned their right to be featured on my widget area under “Posts worth checking out” – as if anybody is paying attention to this anyway 
. But first I want to watch that video to make sure I dont make any faux pas ….. Hope this Friday comes soon for you. x
September 24, 2012 at 12:18
You noticed it quickly because I just changed it this morning!
Too bad that they’ve banned videos at your work… I don’t know if people notice things like “Posts worth checking out”, but I’m still honored to be found worthy such a list. Thanks Paula.
September 24, 2012 at 12:50
No problem
. I will make sure to see that video when I get home … I am still smiling cause I guessed your astrological sign, and it is my sign too, but you probably think it is a load of bull 
, but it is not, and I’ve just proved it 
. I hope to get some cool sexcellent stars from you in the future 
September 24, 2012 at 13:07
You are talented!!! How long did it take you to compose that? Max, this is really touching, and admirable that you were able to perform at your Mom’s funeral. I was looking for a connection between the title of the post and the video, and it hit me. … your Mom was probably a fighter too, and as such certainly deserved such a beautiful tribute on her last journey.
September 24, 2012 at 19:08
Thank you very much Paula.
I woke up one morning and picked up my guitar and then the tune was just there, it sort of just fell out of my fingers onto the guitar. I knew I was onto something, so I called my friend and told him to come over and bring his guitar: we sat down and played while he composed the rhythm guitar.
My friend Sjur also played it with me in my moms funeral, so I’m forever thankful for that. We also got to play it for my mom while she was still alive (she was sick for many years).
It was a worthy farewell.
September 24, 2012 at 20:03
Thank you for sharing this. I am sorry she had to go so young. When did she pass on?
September 24, 2012 at 20:06
In 2003 when she was 63 years old.
September 24, 2012 at 20:10
I am sorry
. My Dad died when he was 44 all of a sudden and I had no song to share. I was a wreck.
September 24, 2012 at 20:15
Sorry to hear about your dad. Mine passed away too, in 2009.
September 24, 2012 at 20:36
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