View of Pont au Change, the City Theatre, Pont Neuf, Conciergerie Prison, etc. taken from Pont Notre Dame, from A Selection of Twenty of the Most Picturesque Views in Paris 12 - 1802

Thomas Girtin created this aquatint, "View of Pont au Change," around 1802, as part of a series capturing picturesque scenes of Paris. At the time, the city was undergoing massive transformations following the French Revolution. Girtin's choice to depict the Pont au Change, the City Theatre, the Pont Neuf, and the Conciergerie Prison is particularly striking. It is impossible to ignore how the architecture embodies the city’s complex social and political layers. Notice the imposing Conciergerie Prison, which during the Revolution was a holding place for aristocrats and political prisoners, including Queen Marie Antoinette, before their execution. By including this ominous structure, Girtin subtly acknowledges the period's violence and upheaval, offering us a window into the lived experience of Parisians during a time of great change and uncertainty. The sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia, as if the artist is reflecting on a bygone era. It serves as a reminder of the ever-present intersection between beauty and brutality in the human story.