Arc de Triomphe in the Snow 

Gustave Loiseau, who was born in 1865, painted "Arc de Triomphe in the Snow" using oil on canvas. Loiseau was part of the Post-Impressionist movement. The Arc de Triomphe was erected in the early 19th century to honor those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. Loiseau painted this Parisian landmark with what appears to be the traditional impressionist style. Yet, instead of celebrating French military might and identity, the focus is on the ordinary, the ephemeral, and the atmospheric. There is a softness to the way the light is diffused, and the color palette is muted. The eye can't help but notice the ordinary people with umbrellas making their way down the avenue. Loiseau presents a quiet Paris in the winter, a respite from the usual pageantry and spectacle of national identity. It invites us to contemplate the intersection between the grand monuments that shape identity and the daily lives of those moving through and within them.