Gezicht op het stadhuis van Parijs en de Pont d'Arcole over de Seine 1860 - 1880

Albert Mansuy's photograph captures the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, framed by the Pont d'Arcole over the Seine. The Hôtel de Ville, with its intricate façade and towering spire, projects power and civic pride. The bridge itself, named after a battle where a soldier named Arcole seized the flag and led his troops to victory, connects not only the physical space, but also to a potent symbol of sacrifice and triumph. It reminds us of the Roman aqueducts, engineering feats that supplied cities with life-giving water. Yet, like the Tower of Babel, these structures also echo humanity's ambition and the hubris that often accompanies it. Consider how flags, like the one held by Arcole, reappear throughout history, from ancient Roman standards to revolutionary banners. They encapsulate collective memory, a shorthand for shared values and aspirations. The image thus becomes a stage upon which the drama of human ambition and memory unfolds.