Paris, early 20th century

A painting of the rue Rivoli in 1900

The subject of this painting is the Rue de Rivoli around 1900. Visually speaking, it uses warm, sepia-toned tones, not unlike those used in old-fashioned silver photography. This photographic aspect is reinforced by a vignetting effect that gives substance and shape to the contours of the painting. The combination of this old Paris with photographic accents brings to mind Eugène Atget, the famous photographer of the time, pacing the streets of Paris with his view camera to freeze the image at every moment.
For it is the soul of Paris that shines through in this painting. The soul of Céline and her slang, the soul of the City of Light, then populated by artists. This urban view will add relief and cachet to a flat lacking in charm.