Nobody knows what her name was. We don’t know her age or background. How her life brought her to Paris and left her drowned in the River Seine. But when her lifeless body was pulled from those murky waters in the late 19th century, the girl known forevermore as L’Inconnue de la Seine (the unknown woman of the Seine) began an amazing new story in death.

A story during which the girl became a spectacle of death. Inspiration to artists. Model for children’ toys. Cultural icon. And at the end a life-sized mannequin that people could use to practice life-saving techniques. (1)

A girl which lost her life, resulted in other lives saved.

A tragedy turned into art.

A girl transformed into icon.

Do you cry for Oedipus?

Do you feel sorry for Percival?

A light kiss.

Wishing good night.

The stars are high now.

The sun will rise.

A drop of tear.

Within the breeze.

Nothing.

The river will grow.

Into a tall lone tree.

And the closed lips will start talking again…