The Visit of Napoléon III to Boulogne-sur-Mer 1815 - 1892

Constantin Guys made this ink and wash drawing called, *The Visit of Napoléon III to Boulogne-sur-Mer*. As a flâneur, a wanderer of the city, Guys documented modern life in mid-19th century France, a period marked by rapid urbanization and political upheaval. This drawing captures a moment of imperial spectacle, as Napoleon III visits Boulogne-sur-Mer. It offers us a glimpse into the power dynamics of the Second Empire and the ways in which imperial authority was constructed through public display. Look closely, and you’ll see a crowd of onlookers. These figures—are they participants in a carefully orchestrated event, or are they active spectators, critically engaging with the spectacle before them? The sketch-like quality of the drawing suggests the fleeting nature of these public events, as well as the shifting social identities of the time. It invites us to consider the relationship between power, representation, and the everyday lives of ordinary people.