Trap aan de gevel van de Notre-Dame in Parijs 1895

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this understated print by Auguste Danse, titled "Trap aan de gevel van de Notre-Dame in Parijs," or "Staircase on the Facade of Notre-Dame in Paris" made around 1895. Editor: My first impression? A touch gloomy, like a rainy Tuesday morning in a forgotten corner of Paris. It also gives me this sense of monumental scale crammed into something quite intimate. Curator: Indeed, the etching captures a unique perspective of the cathedral. We see a close-up view of a section of the facade with the titular staircase. Now, the late 19th century witnessed significant social and political change. How might the architecture of a famous and potent building, like the Notre Dame, be perceived at the time? Editor: Oh, it was complicated! On one hand, these monumental structures represented the stability of tradition. But the artist could've also chosen to highlight decay, obsolescence. But the interesting thing is, I can see so many subtle little variations in the linework - each brick and stone alive in its own way. It feels like looking through a magnifying glass at the face of time itself. Curator: Precisely, Notre-Dame stands as a focal point for architectural debate in 19th-century France. While under scrutiny, it still functioned as an important cultural emblem, one to which a growing bourgeois public increasingly felt they possessed the right to belong. Editor: But you know, even without knowing any of that, you still get a visceral feeling. A feeling of timelessness, endurance...almost like it knows a secret. You could get totally lost in this image... Curator: Which in part could explain its creation and function within this cultural context. I appreciate how you identified that effect of intimacy too. I wonder, what contemporary consumers would make of this tension and architectural scale now. Editor: Yeah, a moody love letter to a legend... A quiet defiance. And you’ve armed me with knowledge! It’s interesting now to revisit this little gem as it connects and breaks away from these historical tides. Thank you. Curator: A worthwhile exploration, and a great way to understand Danse's place among those who looked to the architectural marvel of the city for both intimate and imposing inspiration.