This sculpture by French actor Jean Marais is called Le Passe-Muraille (The Walker-Through-Walls), named after a short story by Marcel Ayme (1902 – 1968). The short story, which most French pupils have read, tells about a clerk who finds out one day that he is able to walk through walls. He can then eavesdrop on private conversations, steal, read confidential stuff, snoop—do all sorts of things. Suz and I walked by this statue in (where else?) the place Marcel Ayme in Montmartre two weeks ago. And I think it was at about this time that we were wishing we could walk through some walls to save ourselves some steps.PS—The green toothbrush was not in the statue’s hand the first two times I saw it on this trip. Another statue in Montmartre that day was holding an orange toothbrush. French people do have a sense of humor!!!
