Mensen bekijken vanaf een brug de hoge waterstand in de Seine bij de overstroming van Parijs 1910 - 1911

This photograph by G. Dangereux captures a moment during the Paris flood, with people observing the Seine's high water level from a bridge. In this image, the flooded Seine becomes a spectacle, drawing onlookers who seem to represent a cross-section of Parisian society. The architecture in the background evokes the city's historical and institutional presence, undisturbed by the natural disruption. The flood itself can be interpreted as a commentary on the relationship between urban life and the environment, and the vulnerability of even the most developed cities to natural events. It also speaks to the social disruptions caused by such events, impacting daily life and routines. To fully understand this photograph, one might turn to historical archives, accounts of the flood, and studies of urban development in Paris. Through such research, we can better appreciate the social and institutional context of Dangereux's image.