T he Pont-Neuf, whose first stone was laid in 1578 by Henry III and was completed under Henry IV in July 1606, has evolved over the centuries. Since its creation, the Pont-Neuf has been recognized for its aesthetics and its topographical richness, allowing the banks of the Seine and the Île de la Cité to be united in the historic heart of Paris. For four centuries, it has been a source of inspiration for artists such as Renoir, Pissarro, Picasso and Vallotton, who have interpreted it according to their personal vision and the artistic styles of their t.mes . Rather than continuing with an artistic representation of the motif, Christo and Jeanne-Claude went further and worked on the material of the bridge itself. They wrapped it. They use over 40,800 square meters of " Pierre de l'Île de France " coloured polyamide fabric, 13,000 meters of rope and over than 12 tons of steel chains. The magnitude of the means used metamorphosed the Pont-Neuf and gave it a new sculptural dimension for the fourteen days in the autumn of 1985. It was thus transformed from a historical work of art to a contemporary artwork.
"I remain faithful to the vocation of the bridge, the only one exempt from tolls in 1606, which was conceived as a place of free and hospitable passage". In short, to wrap it is "to provoke a new conceptual and sensory, yet welcoming impact for the public. »
It was in 1974 that Christo imagined wrapping the Pont-Neuf. The real adventure truly began in 1975, culminating in the inauguration of The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-1985 on September 22nd, 1985. This monumental project is the story of a collects ive art installation that has had an international impact. Ten years of research, preparation and persuasion were needed to realize this temporary work. Paris, its municipality and its inhabitants had to be convinced before handling this symbolic bridge of Paris. Wrapped this way, the Pont-Neuf was unveiled. It was the first public urban project of such scale and happened ten years prior to the immense packaging of the Reichstag.
To wrap the bridge, Christo and Jeanne-Claude meticulously chose the fabric. The choice of the "Pierre de l'Île de France" colour was made considering a historical, geographical and aesthetic context. Indeed, the fabric reminds one of stone with an unexpected coating, is a textural material that plays with the sun and is mirrored in the Seine. For the actual installation, three hundred specialized workers were mobilized, which testifies to the essential human and collaborative involvement needed for the realization of this project.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude financed all the expenses of The Pont Neuf Wrapped by selling preparatory drawings and earlier works, over the course of ten years, from 1975 to 1985. The fact that the artist couple had a clear vision of the completed work from the very beginning of their project, despite the long process that was necessary for its realization, showed the importance of the preparatory drawings. Indeed, the realization of The Pont Neuf Wrapped proved to be extremely faithful to the preparatory works. The present work from 1985 bears witness to this long process of research. Exhibited in Germany, Austria, France and in Italy, this drawing in two parts is representative of the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude and is reveals itself as an independent work, as a witness of this emblematic project of the 20th century.
