La Tour Eiffel à Paris c. 1900

Armand Guillaumin created this oil painting, La Tour Eiffel à Paris, capturing a modern icon amidst the timeless flow of the Seine. Here, the Eiffel Tower pierces the sky, evoking obelisks of ancient Egypt, symbols of power, and human ambition reaching for the divine. The tower, a symbol of modernity, resonates with the same aspirations that drove the construction of pyramids and cathedrals. It rises from a dreamlike panorama painted with soft pastels. The river acts as a mirror, reflecting not just the city, but also the collective memories and aspirations of a nation. Consider how these motifs—the reaching tower and the reflective waters—reappear throughout art history. Each age interprets and reshapes them, imbuing them with new cultural significance. The tower, in particular, transforms from a symbol of progress to, perhaps, a marker of fleeting time, a reminder of our continuous yet transient presence in history. The collective subconscious finds expression here, a longing for permanence in a world of constant change.