The Pantheon 

Editor: So this is Edouard Cortes’ “The Pantheon,” probably an oil painting, possibly done *en plein air*. It’s a rainy cityscape. It makes me think of a photograph, capturing a specific moment in time. What’s your read? Curator: What I find interesting is Cortes’ choice to depict a Parisian landmark – The Pantheon – not as a monument to national pride or power, but as a backdrop to everyday life. Think about the politics of imagery in late 19th and early 20th century France. Why focus on the mundane aspects of urban existence, rather than, say, heroic battle scenes? Editor: Maybe he was trying to show a more democratic view of Paris? A Paris for everyone? Curator: Precisely. This is a deliberately *public* role for art. The figures strolling and selling flowers; they're not posed aristocrats. Cortes positions art within the context of the urban environment. He focuses not just on *what* is depicted, but *where* it is being depicted, inviting public participation. This is Impressionism capturing modernity. What does the setting convey? Editor: It looks pretty lively and like a bustling part of town; very different than visiting a monument for a solemn, respectful viewing. I wonder if people at the time understood that subversion of expectations? Curator: It’s quite likely the intention, disrupting conventions, reflecting changing social values. Were we successful in understanding what makes Cortes interesting and how it may differ from our first glance? Editor: Definitely! Thinking about the political and social context makes the painting much more meaningful.