Rue de Rivoli 

Edouard Cortes painted 'Rue de Rivoli' with oil on canvas, capturing a Parisian street scene, focusing on the elegance of urban life. A key symbol here is the horse-drawn carriage, a motif stretching back to antiquity, representing status and progress. Consider the Roman chariot, a symbol of triumph, now evolved into this elegant vehicle. The horse, a primal symbol of power and freedom, is here domesticated, pulling carriages in an organised fashion. This echoes images of processions and triumphal entries dating back to ancient times. The gesture of driving these horses, managing this power, is psychologically charged. It suggests control over primal forces. Think of the Greek Centaurs, the battle between civilisation and untamed instinct, as they have resurfaced in modern forms. The horse-drawn carriage’s appearance in Cortes’ painting is not merely a historical record. It is part of a recurring cycle, a visual echo resonating with past symbols of power. Over time, it may appear, disappear, and reappear, each time with new cultural meanings.