L’Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées c. 1882 - 1885

Curator: This is Jean Béraud’s “L’Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées,” painted, we believe, between 1882 and 1885. He captured it in oil paints. Editor: Right away, I’m struck by this airy lightness, even though it’s a grand, imposing subject. It's like he caught a fleeting moment in time, the light just so... almost theatrical. Curator: The "almost theatrical" feel is something I notice as well. It is quite carefully constructed to depict the spectacle of Parisian life. You have the iconic Arc, of course, but it's really more a stage for the drama of social life than the subject itself. Béraud documents the rituals of wealth and status with what some might even call cool detachment. Editor: Detachment, interesting. I feel more warmth, perhaps because of the rendering. Look at the loose brushwork, especially in the foliage – it makes the whole scene breathe, doesn’t it? There’s also something quite intimate in observing this snapshot of Parisian high society. Like we’re peeking behind the curtain of pomp and circumstance. Curator: True, that realism combined with genre painting offers that level of insight. I also believe Béraud captured more than just pretty pictures; the painting implicitly comments on class. Note how carefully Béraud observes and records the manners, the clothing, even the gaits of horses and dogs and the body language of the characters that tell the tale of its subject and, maybe unconsciously, hint at future conflicts. Editor: Perhaps! For me it’s more the dogs! Those cheeky pups bounding through the street... they puncture the formality. It just feels... alive. Béraud shows us, so brilliantly, that behind all the showy displays there is movement and vibrant emotion, so there are indeed conflicts and tension just beneath the surface. Curator: So, it is both celebratory and critical, maybe. Béraud provides a perspective in how monuments become backdrops to a social class he sees. Editor: Well said. It invites you to question that narrative with playfulness. You said "cool detachment;" I say something more... humane, that feels present, if ever so momentarily, a point that could allow that cool detachment you noticed. But whatever we read into it, Béraud creates such a vibrant moment and a very enjoyable canvas for pondering society, class and conflict!