Gezicht op de stad bij een hooggelegen huis 1773 - 1843

Georges Michel made this pencil drawing, “View of the City from a High House,” sometime during his lifetime, between 1763 and 1843. Michel lived through a period of immense social and political upheaval following the French Revolution. The drawing depicts a cityscape as seen from an elevated perspective, possibly from within or atop a building, giving us a peek into the world of the artist. The composition is divided into horizontal layers with a focus on architectural forms. But, while it seems to capture a literal space, there’s a real sense of psychological investigation. The urban landscape becomes a stage for exploring themes of observation, confinement, and perspective. Michel’s drawings may have served as a personal, introspective activity, a way for him to engage with the world from a position of relative safety. The simple use of pencil and paper can be seen as a humble act of resistance against the grand narratives of state power. In its quiet, unassuming way, Michel’s drawing reflects a desire to find a sense of place.