Gezicht op de Porte Saint-Bernard en de Pont de la Tournelle over de rivier de Seine te Parijs 1745 - 1775

Jean-François Daumont’s print captures the Porte Saint-Bernard in Paris, employing watercolor and etching techniques. The composition balances architectural mass with the dynamism of city life. The formal arrangement divides the scene into distinct zones: the riverbank bustling with figures, the stoic architecture of the gate, and the skyline punctuated by Notre Dame. Linear perspective draws the eye through the arch, suggesting depth. Daumont's use of line, evident in the detailed rendering of the buildings and figures, creates a sense of order. Color is restrained, primarily muted blues, grays, and browns which evokes the atmosphere of 18th-century Paris. The scale and repetition of architectural elements against the organic flow of figures raises questions about social structure and the individual's place within it. Consider how this print, as a representation of Paris, constructs meaning through its form. The very act of depicting the city this way reveals an attempt to understand and define the urban space.