Ruïne van het Stadhuis van Parijs after 18

Adolphe Block captured this stereo card of the Ruïne van het Stadhuis van Parijs using photography. The sepia tones and the stereoscopic format give the scene a ghostly, almost surreal quality. The dual images create a depth that pulls you into the scene of devastation. The photograph meticulously documents the architectural skeleton of the building. Block focuses on the structural remains, emphasizing the geometry of the arches and the verticality of the remaining walls. Here, photography serves as a form of historical record, and the repetitive nature of the stereoscopic view invites us to examine the minute details of destruction from multiple perspectives. Block's choice of medium highlights the materiality of the subject itself, reminding us of the physical impact of the destruction. The very act of viewing becomes an analysis of form and structure. The photograph invites contemplation on themes of destruction, memory, and the passage of time.