Wolf Mother O'Mine

Wolf Mother O'Mine, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

Romulus and Remus come from an old story about the founding of the city of Rome.

The twins were thrown into the Tiber river when their grandfather was overthrown by his brother (nice folks gettin' along jus' fine, y'see) but they were rescued by a female wolf who looked after them.

The original, or best known of these sculptures is to be found in Rome itself, but on the occasion of the 'twinning' of Paris and Rome back in 1962 a copy was offered and now sits somewhat embushed in a small enclosure called Square Paul-Painlevé, right next to the Cluny Museum of the Middle Ages.

It's one of those nice surprises you stumble across during an unplanned sandwich stop as you stroll around the city. I mean, there are few of us who would actually go looking for this modest little piece, but when you do suddenly spy it it's a pleasant, rather conspiratorial sensation, as though you've just uncovered a secret and the park is saying to you in hushed tones 'OK, you've found it, but keep it under your beret, right?'

The square's got quite a few other interesting items, remarkable really considering its diminutive size, but this is the most interesting for me. Go and see what you think.

(A Paris iPhone street photograph by Sab Will for the 'Paris and I' photo blog @ paris-and-i.parissetmefree.com )