Beginning with his extensive collection of 19th century tourist photographs (stereopticon cards), Wright paints the wide vista seen from the tower of the Church of Saint-Gervais, a favorite and much photographed vantage point where tourists could view the eight bridges over the Seine River. Like his other panoramic works, the artist stretches space, creating a synthesized image which no single photograph could capture. He heightens our viewing experience by inviting our eyes to pan across the canvas as we follow the curve of the Seine. Wright also revels in the tell-tale signs that this is indeed 1853: specific buildings, bridges, and spires are still standing, while others had yet to be built. Wright’s painting is not only a masterful artwork but also a unique historical, visual treatise on Paris at the height of the French Second Empire.
The year chosen was 1853 at the height of Napoleon III's Empire at the beginning of the transformation of the city under Baron Haussmann and Viollet-le-Duc. In the center foreground of the painting, one can see the early footbridge over the Seine which led from Notre-Dame to the Place de Grève in front of the Hotel de Ville. This bridge, known as the Pont d'Arcole, was soon to be demolished and replaced by the wider bridge which is still in existence. Notre-Dame Cathedral is without the spire (or flêche) which was added a decade later by Viollet-le-Duc. The Hotel de Ville (or city hall) is in the far-right foreground. This beautiful sixteenth century building was set afire and totally demolished during the 1871 siege of Paris by the Commune following the defeat of Napoleon III by the Prussians in the previous year. Close to the horizon one can see the churches of Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and Sainte-Chapelle adjacent to the Palaís-de-Justice. In the distance, behind Sainte-Chapelle is the imposing dome of the Invalides. At the extreme right is the Louvre. The towered structure abutting Pont Notre-Dame is the pumphouse of the same name which was built in 1670 but taken down in 1856. Its function was to distribute water from the Seine to nearby cisterns.
- Subject Matter: Landscape
- Created: 2001