La Place du Carrousel, Paris: The Ruins of the Tuileries 1882

Giuseppe de Nittis painted 'La Place du Carrousel, Paris: The Ruins of the Tuileries', using oil on canvas. It captures a moment of Parisian life in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, a period of profound social and political upheaval. The painting presents a society grappling with loss and change. The ruins of the Tuileries Palace, visible in the background, serve as a stark reminder of the Commune’s destruction. The figures in the foreground, rendered with a certain detachment, reflect a society in mourning. There is a certain stillness, a quiet observation of the rebuilding of Paris. The two women dressed in black on the left and the working class couple on the right are separated by a small dog which is unaware of the grief around it. De Nittis captures the emotional landscape of a city wounded but resilient. The painting acts as a mirror reflecting society's struggles, marking the collective memory of a city trying to rise from its own ashes.