Sacristy of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris c. 19th century

Curator: This is "Sacristy of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris" by Best et Cie, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's gorgeous! Melancholy, maybe? All that intricate detail rendered in grayscale feels like a memory. Curator: Indeed. The image captures not just the architectural grandeur, but also the everyday life around Notre Dame. Look at the figures along the embankment and the boats on the Seine. It speaks to the cathedral's central role within Parisian society and the cultural narratives it embodies. Editor: Right, it's not just a building, it’s a living, breathing part of the city. You can almost hear the river lapping, the bustle of people. Curator: And that interplay between monumentality and the human scale provides an insight into power dynamics of the time. Who could access such sacred places? How were they maintained and by whom? Editor: It makes you wonder what stories those stones could tell. The image is beautiful, but it prompts more questions than answers, which makes it so compelling.