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The Real Paris...
how accurately do the representations from the 19th
century portray Paris as we know it today?
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It is difficult to say whether or not representations
from the 19th century accurately depict the city. In order to
find that out we would need to go back in time to see for ourselves.
However, we would be viewing Paris from our own individual viewpoints
and ideals, just as the artists and writers from the 19th century
looked at the city from their specific points of view. Therefore
the idea of this page is to not judge whether or not the artists
were correct in their visions, but to look at representations
from today and see what kinds of connections can be made.
Perhaps the most lasting impression of the city
that is seen in both modern and 19th century images is the idea
that Paris is a city of grandeur. Its monuments and customs
combine to create a city
of light.
Below is an image of the Pantheon as it can
be seen today.
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The Pantheon (Ste. Genevieve),
Jacques-Germain Soufflot (architect) 1757-1792
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This is a contemporary image of the Pantheon. The structure
of the dome itself is represented in the same way in this image
as in images from the
19th century. Therefore it is safe to say that architecturally,
the artists from the 19th century represented the building accurately.
Also the fact that this image was depicted many times both in
the 19th century and today.
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Panoramic View of Paris,
September 1997
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This photograph is a view of Paris from the top of the Eiffel
Tower. The Paris landscape has changed since the 19th century,
however the idea of portraying the city as expanding to the
horizon line has not. The views of Paris that we have seen
from the 19th century
also show the city from a similar point of view. This
perspective of the city leaves the impression of grandeur
and prominence. These ideals are as strong today as they were
in the 19th century.
For more contemporary images of Paris go to http://mirabilia.ru/paris/
