Au Bon Coin 

Hiro Yamagata created this print of a Parisian street scene, perhaps sometime in the late 20th century. The image evokes a romantic vision of Paris, but it also hints at the increasing commercialisation of culture. We see children playing amongst piles of presents, perhaps alluding to consumerism. This is further emphasised through the advertisement of Pepsi. The French flag and the architecture give the image a sense of place, but it's a place perhaps mediated by consumer culture, in this case the street outside a cafe with a global brand logo. The scene presents Paris as a cosmopolitan and commercial hub, embracing modernity. Yet the scene is also self-consciously conservative, preserving nostalgic images of childhood play. To understand the cultural tensions within this image, a historian might use sources ranging from advertising history to studies of Parisian urban development. Only then can we grasp how art reflects, and shapes, the values of society.