Gezicht op de Place de Clichy 1874

Curator: Welcome. Before us we have "Gezicht op de Place de Clichy," an etching by Léopold Flameng, dating back to 1874. Editor: It's a remarkably still image considering it’s supposed to represent a bustling city square. Almost like a stage set right before the actors come out. Curator: That's a great way to put it! I think the etching technique, all those delicate lines, lends itself to a certain dreaminess. You can almost hear the faint clip-clop of horseshoes, and the murmuring of the crowds is a low hum. The figures are only roughly indicated. Editor: It makes me wonder about the labour involved. I mean, the process of etching demands patience, that repetitive action of layering lines to build the image…the materials alone—acid, metal plate—how accessible were they at the time? Curator: A crucial point. The work would've required considerable skill and access to the workshop. Interestingly, although Flameng is capturing an inherently modern scene – the chaotic city life, and modern commercial buildings rising – his choice of etching is almost nostalgic, isn't it? He chose a medium with historical precedent. Editor: Exactly. And the consumption of the work is an element as well. This piece might have had its start in modern life but was probably reproduced many times over. These became goods in and of themselves that would have circulated into households to sit on walls and tables, connecting far-flung people with modern life and urban views. Curator: Almost as a modern tourist postcard… although decidedly more handmade! Even the subject matter... I imagine someone looking at it today can reflect on the past differently. And consider what they hope the future holds. It shows not just a location but also reminds us of a temporal paradox! It makes one want to consider how that location in turn altered those who were pictured there. Editor: Absolutely. It gives food for thought about modern living, making us mindful of materiality, production and consumption in those old worlds that gave rise to ours today. Curator: Exactly, this work gives an insight not just into Paris and Flameng's perspective, but also ourselves! Editor: Right then, that really makes me appreciate looking a little bit closer at everything. Thank you for those details.