Vue Générale des Théâtres du Boulevard du Temple, Avant le Percement du Boulevard du Prince Eugène en 1862
- Oil on canvas
- 33.5 x 75 in
- Karl Pertgen
$20,000. - 30,000.
Provenance: Sotheby’s, New York, April 18, 2007, lot 68.
The Boulevard du Temple follows the path of the city wall constructed by Charles V & then demolished under Louis XIV. The presently existing boulevard was built between 1656 and 1705. From the late 1700s to 1830 the boulevard was considered quite fashionable for the time, the cafés and the theatres previously located at the Saint-Laurent and Saint-Germain moved there. The grand theatres depicted here are shown from left to right as follows: the Théâtre Lyrique, Théâtre Impérial du Cirque, Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques, Théatre de la Gaîté, Théatre des Funambules, Théâtre des Funambules, Théâtre des Délassements-Comique & Théatre Lazary. After a time, the Boulevard du Temple was nicknamed Boulevard du Crime for the crime melodramas that enjoyed widespread popularity at the surrounding theatres.
In 1835, Guiseppe Fieschi made an attempt on the King’s life as he was visiting one of the boulevard’s many theatres. The attempt was unsuccessful, but resulted in the death of 18 civilians and left 23 onlookers injured. Also important to note, Louis Daugerre captured the iconic street in one of the earliest Daguerrotypes & the resulting photograph is believed to be the earliest surviving photograph showing a person. A man who coincidentally stopped to have his shoe shined, remaining still, was captured on the plate. All other traffic rushing through the street vanished due to the length of exposure, which came close to half an hour.
Baron Haussmann’s radical transformation of Paris saw this area dramatically modified. Many of the 18th Century theatres were demolished upon the construction of Boulevard du Prince Eugéne. The construction of the new street was part of an enlargement of the Place de la République & it was built to Haussmann’s specifications. Paved, wide sidewalks were incorporated along with a modern drainage system meant to propel Parisian aesthetics into the 20th Century. Today, only the Théâtre Déjazet still stands.
- Collections: KCG Cross Gate 2020