Titelprent met zicht op Parijs 1906 - 1911

This etching showing a view of Paris was made by Henri Manesse, sometime between 1854 and 1940. I love to imagine Manesse there in the city, looking at the light as it shifts across the buildings. It's interesting how Manesse has used all these teeny tiny marks to create a sense of depth, and how the city seems to sort of float on the page. I imagine him, bent over the plate, carefully layering those lines, trying to capture the feeling of a place that’s changing, disappearing even. And that title, "Le Vieux Paris s'en va" which roughly translates to "Old Paris is going away," makes you wonder what he thought about progress, about time. Did he want to hold onto something, or was he just observing? Making art is like that, isn't it? A way to hold onto something, even as it slips through your fingers.