In a 1962 exhibition at Galerie J, the then-obscure artist Christo unveiled a study that would later become his signature. It was called “Project for a Wrapped Public Building.” Inspired by the Arc de Triomphe, which he passed almost every day en route to his studio, Christo had made a photomontage of the monument covered in plastic. Nearly six decades later—and two years after the artist’s death—the monument will finally be wrapped in 82,000 feet of silvery-blue plastic secured by 10,000 feet of red rope. The design is based on the plans Christo crafted before he died. —J.D.

L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped
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Arc de Triomphe / Paris / Art
Arc de Triomphe / Paris / Art
Christo in his studio with a preparatory drawing, 2019. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation.
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