La Chatelet 

Antoine Blanchard captured La Chatelet in paint, with all its inherent qualities of substance, texture, weight, color and form. Blanchard employs a traditional art material here, and a fast painting process that allows him to quickly capture the impression of a rainy day in Paris. He was one of many artists at the time dedicated to capturing Parisian life in the early 20th century. Looking at the canvas, notice how the brushstrokes are visible, capturing the reflections of light and movement on the wet streets. Blanchard probably engaged with techniques passed down through academic training. It has the look of an artwork produced efficiently for a ready market. So, when we look at pieces like this, let's think about how materials, making, and context work together to give an artwork its full meaning, challenging the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.