Gezicht over Parijs en de Seine 1887 - 1900

This photograph, titled *Gezicht over Parijs en de Seine*, presents a panoramic view of Paris and the Seine, captured by an anonymous photographer. The sepia tone imbues the image with a sense of distance, both temporal and spatial, which softens the city's structural lines. Compositionally, the image is divided into distinct layers. The strong diagonal line of the building on the left leads the eye towards the Seine River, crossed by multiple bridges that create a sense of depth and connectivity. These bridges serve not just as physical structures, but also as semiotic links between different parts of the city, suggesting a network of social and economic interactions. The aerial perspective flattens the urban landscape, reducing buildings to geometric shapes and patterns. This flattening hints at early modernist notions of space and representation, disrupting traditional perspective. This photograph captures Paris as a site of modernity, structured yet ever-evolving.