Paris Museums Are Papering a Subway Station With Cheeky Recreations of Famous Art

In the mid-1700s, the painter François Boucher depicted his daughter, Marie-Emillie-Baudouin, with a sprightly bird perched cheerfully upon her finger. Last week, Audrey Piraut envisioned the scene somewhat differently. Her image, a self-portrait, is more slapstick than dainty. Instead of sporting a coy smile and petite bird, she’s attended by a stone-faced pigeon—and grimacing as its poop drips down her fingers.

The goal is to inspire passersby pay a visit to Paris’ Musée Cognacq-Jay to see Boucher’s painting in person. To mark the launch of a new digital hub for exhibitions, Paris Musées—an organization incorporating 14 museums throughout the city, including Maison de Victor Hugo, Maison de Balzac, Petit Palais, and the Carnavalet Museum—tapped Instagram users, including Piraut, to recreate works of art from the collections.