[The Hötel de Ville after the Commune] 1871

Hippolyte-Auguste Collard’s 1871 photograph, "[The Hôtel de Ville after the Commune]," is a poignant documentation of the aftermath of the Paris Commune, a brief but radical socialist government that was brutally suppressed by the French government. The photograph captures the Hôtel de Ville, the city hall of Paris, in a state of ruin after the Commune’s defeat. The building's charred facade and gaping windows stand as a stark reminder of the violence that occurred during the uprising. Collard's photograph is a powerful testament to the destructive power of political conflict.