Gezicht op de Porte Saint-Denis in Parijs c. 1788

Joseph-Alexandre Le Campion made this print of the Porte Saint-Denis in Paris using etching and possibly some hand-coloring. It’s an intimate scene, made all the more so by the small scale and circular format. The lines are delicate, yet they describe a monumental structure. Consider the labor involved: the original architecture of the gate would have demanded considerable planning and manpower. And this print, though small, would also have involved skilled work. The copperplate had to be prepared, the image carefully etched into it using acid, and then each impression individually inked and printed. Prints like these were part of a burgeoning industry of image-making, meeting the demands of a public eager to consume views of Paris. They were a way of packaging up the city and making it available for purchase, a miniature reflection of the commercial energy that the Porte Saint-Denis itself would have witnessed daily. In the end, this print demonstrates how even seemingly simple images can reveal complex relationships between labor, representation, and consumption.