An old door on Rue Longue. The anti-war poster is used as a message pad:'Jean-Philippe, Me donner en urgence la clé de la cave. Merci. Ou je change la serrure,' - which roughly translates as -'Jean-Philippe, Give me the key to the cellar urgently. Thanks. Or I'll change the lock.'
I love this snippet of life. Maybe it's simply that things seem more interesting in a language other than your own.
If you enlarge the smaller photo, you'll see the poster says 'Tout pour l'armée, rien pour ta gueule.'
Thank you so much to Marie and Catherine and my neighbour, Agnès, for the correct translation, which isn't literal - the word gueule being slang in French. 'All for the army, nothing for yourself.' Read the first two comments for this explanation and information on Cabu, the famous cartoonist and caricaturist, who created this poster. Thanks, ladies!
I do like this slice of life, Jilly. The colours are nice to my eye, but it is the hodge-podge that I value. Look at all the services that have been supplied either to this house or to the street: they litter the door-step, they litter the sides and they stretch across the top. Probably not efficient, but at least they are real.
ReplyDeleteHello Jilly, ça me donne une idée. J'ai envie d'écrire sur la porte de la voisine qui m'a volé mon manteau (tombé devant la porte de l'immeuble quand je suis rentrée des USA) et qui le porte sans complexes : "me rendre mon manteau ou alors je tague ta porte !" :-))))
ReplyDeleteJe lis "me donner la clé" sur ton affiche.....
"Ta gueule", c'est comme "ta pomme", ça veut dire "toi". 'C'est bien fait pour ta gueule (un peu grossier tout de même :-)), c'est équivalent à "c'est bien fait pour toi" (mais vaut mieux éviter le "ta gueule")....
Yes, Jilly exactly. "Nothing for yourself".
ReplyDeleteWhat seems also interesting is the signature of the poster. Cabu is a cartoonist and a famous caricaturist.
You've found a gem in the Old town streets. I like when people express themselves that way. Only when it's funny.
The close up is excellent (and how nice to have the greater context in the small follow-up, below).
ReplyDeleteThis is not unique, but it is indeed very French. You are (IMHO)unlikely to see anything remotely like this in England where the style of street communication and posters is so different.....almost disapproved of? Whilst not unknown in England, Anachists don't have the same "poster prominence" they enjoy in France. Neither do their "posters" remain so long on the walls as this one. How old might it be?
Chuckeroon, I first took this photograph with Nathalie and it wasn't sharp enough. Since then I've been back twice (!) and finally got it right! It does look old, I agree. I've no idea how old. In theory I suppose it could have been stuck on this old door for years. It looks pretty weatherworn.
ReplyDeleteI should add that but for Nathalie I probably wouldn't have taken it, let alone noticed it. Another 'Nathalie' lesson.
ReplyDeleteI love the story-within-a-story feel to this. The handwritten note on the poster and what that note says is easily a great beginning to a short story...even a novel. And you supply so much visual information to fill in the details. It's interesting how you see things when prowling with a friend. And if Nathalie took this shot, how differently would it have been composed and finished, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteWhat I love besides this fabulous slice of life, is that you and Nathalie collaborated on it. I love being able to meet fellow photo bloggers and learn from them. I'll be having three in my home this week!!! I also appreciate your desire to go back and take it again and again till it suits YOU! Well it suits me for sure. A lovely photo and the text added so much here JIlly. Merci
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Just delighted that you ended up posting this snippet of local life, Jilly. I think your commentators did a great job of analysing the various aspects of it.
ReplyDeleteOh I had so much fun exploring Menton with you. I'm looking forward to more!