Hôtel de Ville de Paris 1863

This is the cover of "Hôtel de Ville de Paris" by Auguste Jeunesse, published in 1863. The book cover presents a study in contrasts using type. The left side is a blank canvas; by comparison, the right side’s surface is densely arranged with text. The layout employs a hierarchy of type sizes to guide the eye, moving from the grand declaration of ‘L’Hotel de Ville DE PARIS’, to the more modest attribution ‘PAR Aug. JEUNESSE.’ This structured arrangement—the title’s grandeur versus the author’s subdued credit—creates a visual tension, hinting at the book's contents. The cover thus performs a dual function: it marks the identity of the book while also serving as a cultural artifact that reflects the semiotic codes of its time. It invites us to interpret not just its aesthetic appeal, but the layers of meaning embedded in its design and the historical context from which it emerges.