August 6, 2026 12:00 PM –1:00 PM
Lunch Pail Lecture: The Influence of Parisian Cafes on Art, Culture, and Literature
Currently, we live in the era of technology and social media gatherings. At a fast speed we can be connected with information, interactions, and sometimes with people at the opposite corner of the planet.
Now let’s go back to the past. How was it in France a century ago? Where were people gathering, especially the artists, poets, philosophers, and writers? Parisian cafés were the social media of the time.
Cafés have long been cultural hubs where intellectuals, writers, and artists gathered to exchange ideas. From the 17th century onward, cafés like Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots became iconic meeting spots. In the 1920s, the Lost Generation, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, found inspiration in these vibrant spaces. Similarly, Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir frequented Les Deux Magots, where philosophical discussions shaped their ideas. Beyond literature and philosophy, artists like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse also found cafés stimulating and could be found gathering at La Palette café.
Learn about the secrets Parisian cafés held during this prolific era of creation and enlightenment.
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