Place des Pyramides, Paris 1878 - 1888

Giuseppe de Nittis made this pencil drawing, Place des Pyramides, Paris, on paper sometime in the late 19th century. The drawing captures a bustling Parisian scene, but what’s most striking is the scaffolding dominating the architectural landscape. Look at the intricate network of lines forming this temporary structure, a testament to human labor and construction. The pencil, a humble yet versatile tool, allows de Nittis to capture not just the scene's likeness but also the energy of urban transformation. Consider the amount of work represented here - the physical labor of constructing the building behind the scaffolding, the draftsmanship involved in this sketch. It's a reminder that every artwork, like every building, emerges from collective effort. De Nittis elevates the everyday into art, prompting us to reconsider the value we assign to different forms of making.