Pagina uit L'Illustration met twee afbeeldingen van de sloop en vernieuwing van delen van Parijs in 1856 1856

Dieudonné Auguste Lancelot created this print in 1856 for L'Illustration, a journal which visually documented current events. It depicts the demolition and renewal of parts of Paris. These images capture the stark reality of urban transformation under Haussmann's plan, revealing not only the physical destruction but also the social upheaval of the time. The wide boulevards, designed to modernize Paris, displaced many working-class residents, altering the city’s social fabric. Through Lancelot’s detailed engravings, we are invited to reflect on the complex layers of progress and loss. This piece serves as a reminder of how urban development can reshape not just the physical landscape but also the lives and histories of its inhabitants. The emotional weight of such transformation is palpable.