Zicht op Orléans vanaf de linkeroever van de Loire 1853 - 1856

Léon Auguste Asselineau created this print of Orléans from the left bank of the Loire River. The tranquil scene seems to capture a moment outside of the tumult of nineteenth-century France, yet, we know such tranquility is always an illusion. This print of Orléans invites reflection on the historical and social forces that shaped the lives of its inhabitants. The bridge, bustling with activity, symbolizes connection but also division. Who has access to cross? Who is allowed to participate in the city's economic and social life, and who is excluded? What labor was involved in the making and maintenance of the bridge? Here, Asselineau offers a window into a world that continues to shape our own. The scene reminds us that history is always present.