Port St. Bernard 1783

Charles Melchior Descourtis created this view of Port St. Bernard in etching and aquatint, capturing a bustling scene along the Seine. Looking at this, we are invited to reflect on the social stratification of 18th-century Paris. Descourtis’ print offers a glimpse into the lives of Parisians from various social strata. The figures populating the foreground, engaged in trade and transport, stand in contrast to the elegant townhouses lining the river. Consider the labor and commerce that sustained the city, juxtaposed against the backdrop of emerging bourgeois wealth. How do the activities along the port reflect the city’s economic engine? And what does it say about who had access to leisurely enjoyment of the city, and who was simply working? The print invites us to think about the construction of urban life and the varied experiences within it. It’s not just a picturesque scene, but a reminder of the complex and often unequal social relations that shape our cities.