Rue Royale et Restes des Barricades de 1848 Possibly 1848 - 1965

Hippolyte Bayard created this photograph of the Rue Royale with the remnants of the 1848 barricades in Paris. The subdued greyscale tones feel heavy, hanging in the air as thick as the smoke from the revolution. I can only imagine how Bayard felt as he composed this image, this still life of sorts, knowing it was once full of life, struggle, and chaos. I wonder if he felt that the photograph could be like a memorial. As a painter I know the decisions involved in composing an image often come with their own struggles. You’re trying to find an order and harmony out of what’s in front of you. It makes me think about Atget, who came later, and photographed Paris with a similar dispassion and a feeling for the poetry of the real. All artists are in a constant conversation.