Paardentrams voor Palais Brongniart 1887 - 1910

This photograph captures horse-drawn trams before the Palais Brongniart. The Palais, with its imposing colonnade, echoes classical temples, symbolizing stability and order. This architectural style invites us to consider how symbols of authority persist across time. The columns, reminiscent of ancient Greek temples, represent a foundation of law and order, which are here associated with the stock exchange. We see echoes of this motif in other temples of commerce, reflecting a desire to legitimize economic activity through architectural grandeur. The horse-drawn trams, emblems of a modern age, juxtapose the ancient columns, pointing to the continuous cycle of innovation and our attempts to reconcile new technology with old authority. This juxtaposition resonates deeply, triggering a sense of historical continuity and the human quest for enduring structures in a changing world.