[Rue de Constantine] 1863 - 1867

Charles Marville made this albumen silver print, Rue de Constantine, in the mid-19th century. Marville’s photographs were commissioned to document the areas of Paris slated for demolition and reconstruction during the urban renewal projects of Emperor Napoleon III. The photograph presents a seemingly neutral view of the street, yet it’s charged with the politics of urban transformation. Note how the composition, with its receding perspective, directs our gaze toward the domed structure in the distance, possibly a government building. This visual emphasis suggests the institutional forces at play in reshaping the city. The relatively unpopulated street hints at the disruption and displacement caused by these urban renewal projects, reflecting a tension between modernization and the loss of historical fabric and communities. To fully understand Marville’s work, we need to delve into the archives, examining city plans, government documents, and social commentaries of the time. The meaning of art, we must remember, is always contingent on its social and institutional context.