Façade van een gebouw in Parijs by Lampué et Cie

Façade van een gebouw in Parijs

before 1880

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Artwork details

Medium
print, photography, albumen-print
Dimensions
height 226 mm, width 165 mm
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

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print

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photography

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orientalism

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cityscape

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albumen-print

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building

About this artwork

This photograph captures a façade in Paris, taken by Lampué et Cie. Note the tower, a symbol of power and aspiration, which rises, yet it is softened, domesticated. It echoes the fortified towers of medieval castles, symbols of security and dominance, yet here it is now an aesthetic flourish, repurposed. One is reminded of similar towers, from the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia to the elaborate bell towers of Renaissance Italy. The architectural language speaks of a deep, primal urge to reach upward, to connect with something beyond our earthly existence. Consider how this reaching for something higher engages us, stirring both conscious desires and half-forgotten memories, speaking to the potent psychological impact architecture has on our collective memory. The building’s silhouette against the sky evokes a sense of longing. It beckons us to reflect on humanity’s endless pursuit of meaning, and our search for stability in a world that is always evolving.

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