Jean Noël MONROCQ
See onthe map
Publisher and lithographic printer.
Monrocq came to Paris in 1839, began with a bookseller and in 1848 opened a print business, dealing in those plates through which the Second Empire looked at itself, from the art album to the machinery catalogue. He died in 1913, at ninety-three. Before the names, a sentence is carved, asking a little bird to come and sing there when the tree is green. The tree has turned green a hundred times since.
The story
“Little bird, come and sing on my grave when the tree is green again.” The inscription in Division 34 gives that line before the names, and the first of them is Jean Noël Monrocq, a print dealer. Very few epitaphs at Père-Lachaise speak to an animal.
Born at Trelly, in the Manche, on 25 December 1819, Jean Noël Monrocq came up to Paris in 1839 and started as a clerk with a bookseller. In 1848 he opened a shop for artistic and industrial prints — the engraved plates that illustrated the France of the Second Empire, from art albums to machinery catalogues. In 1877 he declared himself a bookseller.
He died on 18 February 1913, at ninety-three. The stone carries both husband and wife, his wife, born Deharambure, inscribed above him, and the line at the head of it all. Since that line was cut, the tree turned green again more than a hundred times.
The grave
A stone remembered for its first words: “Petit oiseau, viens chanter sur ma tombe quand l'arbre sera vert…” — little bird, come and sing on my grave when the tree is green. Two names follow: “Mme J. MONROCQ, née E. DEHARAMBURE, 1828-1908. Jean Noël MONROCQ, éditeur imprimeur, né le 28 décembre 1819 décédé le 18 février 1913.” — publisher and printer, born 28 December 1819, died 18 February 1913. The carved date of birth runs three days ahead of the true one, 25 December.
On site, do not miss
Look for the sentence before the names: “Petit oiseau, viens chanter sur ma tombe quand l'arbre sera vert.” — little bird, come and sing on my grave when the tree is green. The carved date, 28 December 1819, runs three days ahead of his real birth, the 25th.
Visitors' questions
Where is Jean Noël Monrocq's grave?
In Division 34, in the alley that divides Divisions 34 and 76, first row. You know it by its epitaph: “Petit oiseau, viens chanter sur ma tombe quand l'arbre sera vert” — little bird, come and sing on my grave when the tree is green. He died in 1913, at ninety-three.
Philippe Le BasWhat does his epitaph say?
“Petit oiseau, viens chanter sur ma tombe quand l'arbre sera vert.” — little bird, come and sing on my grave when the tree is green. It is one of the few epitaphs at Père-Lachaise addressed to an animal, and one of the gentlest in the cemetery. It is cut at the head of the stone, ahead of the names.
Jacques BourgeatWhat was his trade?
A publisher and lithographic printer: he came up from the Manche to Paris in 1839, opened a print shop in 1848, published artistic and industrial plates, and registered as a bookseller in 1877.
Georges LissacIs there a mistake on his grave?
By three days: his stone has him born on 28 December 1819, when he was born on the 25th. His birth record at Trelly, in the Manche, leaves no doubt: the engraver was three days out.
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