Gezicht op Parijs c. 1850 - 1880

Noël Paul Chapus made this photograph, titled 'Gezicht op Parijs,' using an unknown photographic process. Chapus was part of the Société Photographique in Paris, a group known for using photography to document the architecture and urban spaces of the rapidly changing city. This image invites us to consider the intersection of power, representation, and urbanization in the late 19th century. It might have been used by the Parisian administration, the bourgeoisie, or by the growing middle class seeking to promote Paris as a global capital. The photograph's focus on the architecture and the absence of people perhaps mirrors the aesthetic and social priorities of the time, emphasizing the control and order imposed on the urban environment. While seemingly a neutral depiction, this photograph encapsulates the complex narratives of progress and exclusion that shaped the identity of Paris and its inhabitants.