The Paris Daughter

Both Elise and “Lucie” decorate the walls of their studios with murals depicting a starry sky and the Bois de Boulogne woods. The murals symbolize the unbreakable connection between mother and daughter, as well as the link between art, fate, and identity.

Elise paints the first mural in the studio of her apartment as a sanctuary away from the stress and hardship of the war. Mathilde, who lives her early years under curfew, is enamored with the painted sky. Mother and child spend many evenings in the studio together, deepening the bond between them, and Elise repeats the phrase “Under these stars, fate will guide you home” each night. When Elise is forced to leave Mathilde behind with the Foulons, she paints a replica of the mural in her bedroom in Aurignon in order to feel close to the absent Mathilde. Once Elise returns to Paris and discovers that Mathilde is reportedly dead, she paints and repaints the night sky of the original to keep it alive and moving. The murals therefore represent Elise’s desire to remain close with her daughter regardless of the obstacles between them.

Years later, the adult “Lucie” decorates her own studio with a version of the Bois de Boulogne mural, complete with a starry sky and the oft-repeated phrase.