Gezicht op de zuidzijde van het Hôtel des Invalides in de steigers 1860 - 1880

Albert Mansuy captured this sepia-toned view of the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris with his camera in the 19th century. The dome of the Hôtel, a soaring symbol of ambition and power, is crowned by a cross, traditionally representing sacrifice and redemption. Yet, its placement atop such a grand, man-made structure invites a complex interpretation. I am reminded of the Pantheon in Rome, where pagan gods once resided, later replaced by Christian symbols. Here, the cross is a palimpsest—a layering of meanings. The scaffolding veiling the dome suggests an ongoing negotiation between the sacred and the temporal. Consider how obelisks, symbols of earthly power in ancient Egypt, were later topped with crosses during the Renaissance, recontextualizing their authority under a Christian lens. This constant adaptation speaks to our collective, perhaps subconscious, desire to reconcile human ambition with spiritual values. The dome evokes feelings of awe, an emotional reaction carefully constructed to inspire reverence. It is a dance between earthly and spiritual realms, ever evolving, ever present.