Place de la Bastille 

Edouard Cortes painted “Place de la Bastille,” capturing a Parisian street scene. Cortes, born in France to an artistic family, was known for his ability to capture the atmosphere of Paris. The painting offers us a glimpse into the daily life of Parisians. The city’s pulse is palpable, with blurred figures and the reflections of lights on wet pavement. The Place de la Bastille is rich with historical meaning. Here, the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution in 1789 signaled the end of the old order and a move toward ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Cortes’s painting evokes a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era. His work preserves an intimate, personal connection to the city’s past. What do you feel when you look at it? This work is a beautiful reminder of the power of art to capture the emotional and personal dimensions of our shared experiences.