Pierrot and "Au Clair de la Lune"

“Au Clair de la Lune”

I learned how to play the French folk song “Au Clair de la Lune” on the piano about 49 years ago! It was the traditional 'first ' song that one learns to play on the piano, (with the exception, of course, of “Chopsticks”).

That children’s folk song and its main character, Pierrot, have revisited me often in my life….before, I believe, I even knew I was a Francophile!

I learned about Pierrot, the character, from a gal that worked with me at Mexicana Airlines. At twenty two, or so, years old she was quite sophisticated having commuted most of her life between Paris and Mexico City due to her French mother and her Mexican father. The “love of her life” was a most adorable little fluff of white fur, a puppy that she called “Pierrot”. She translated the words to “Au Clair de la Lune” for me and told me the story about the sweet little character, Pierrot, from sixteenth century Italian Theater, Comedia della Arte. In the play, Pierrot was a most honest and loveable little servant totally devoted to his royal master. He wore an oversized white outfit with a large black ruffle around the neck. On his head, a black skull cap and his face was painted as a clown. He was extremely gullible and was often teased and taunted by Columbine, with whom he was madly in love, After I heard her tell the story, I became fascinated by the sweet little guy, Pierrot.

Fast forward thirty years……John and I had a bottle of wine finished and almost all of the rooms at Petit Soleil named and themed. Running out of do-able ideas, I remembered the little French folk song and the story of Pierrot. Voila`!

While Petit was under renovation, we spent Christmas week in Paris and Provence, with the hope, or guise, of finding fabrics, furniture, photographs and ideas for the final decorating schemes for Petit Soleil. We found wonderful old postcards of Edith Piaf and Ives Montand for “Rendez-vous”, and lavender goodies for “Herbes de Provence”, some lovely fabrics from Arles and took hundreds of pictures but we could find nothing about Pierrot! I was extremely disappointed and frustrated as I wanted so much to give the beloved creature a room of his own. Finally, while enjoying our final pilgrimage through a fabulous Parisian grocery store, I hear Andrew and Annie yelling “MOM!!!! We found Pierrot!!” And sure enough, there he was with lollypops coming of his head. His face was the logo for a candy company called “Pierrot Gourmand”. Success!

As the story continues, Judy Fuller, a former classmate of John’s (from his days in Berlin, Germany) and a local art instructor, painted a beautiful mural of Pierrot, seated on the crook of the moon, crooning love songs to his amour, Columbine. Along the ceiling Judy stenciled the words to “Au Claire de la Lune”. I do admit that the room “Pierrot” is my favorite!

And we have taken the little guy even further as he will now be on the cover of the new Petites Recettes recipe collection. Kortney Larson designed the “Pierrot art” and the book will go to print next week!

So, Laura Whatever-Your Last-Name-Was, thank you for sharing with me your little dog and the story of Pierrot.

I hope you will all think of him now, as well, as you remember your first piano lessons or those of your children or grandchildren or in your fond memories of Petit Soleil

Smiles!

Dianne