Feestzaal in het stadhuis te Nancy before 1896

Here we see an anonymous print of the Feestzaal in the stadhuis te Nancy, in which architectural splendor is evident. Note the recurring motif of draped figures, which harks back to classical antiquity. We see them adorning the walls, a subtle echo of the Caryatids of ancient Greece, figures burdened with structural weight, yet transformed into symbols of elegance and support. It evokes a deep-seated desire for order and beauty. Consider the arch, a shape found in triumphal arches of Rome, and the curve is reimagined here in doorways and windows. This arch, symbolic of victory and passage, is multiplied and integrated into the hall, suggesting a space not just for celebration, but for the ceremonial passage of ideas and power. The hall stirs a psychoanalytic resonance, triggering a collective memory of grandeur and authority, reminding us of how spaces shape our perceptions and emotions. The use of recurring motifs and historical allusions suggests the way architecture engages with us on a subconscious level.