Rue Traversine (from the Rue d'Arras) 1866 - 1870

This albumen silver print of Rue Traversine was made by Charles Marville in 19th century France. It captures a narrow, winding street, seemingly untouched by modernity. Marville was commissioned by the city of Paris to document the old neighborhoods before Haussmann's grand renovations transformed the urban landscape. This image, therefore, is not just a depiction of a street, but a historical record of a disappearing Paris. Look at the crumbling facades and the uneven cobblestone streets, visual codes of a pre-industrial era. The photograph serves as a powerful commentary on the social disruption caused by urban renewal. It invites us to consider what is lost when progress marches forward and the old ways are swept aside. Historians consult city archives, period newspapers, and architectural plans to understand the full impact of these changes. Art like this challenges us to reflect on the social and institutional forces that shape not only our cities but our collective memory.