Laan in de Jardin Mabille te Parijs c. 1865 - 1875

Compagnie Photographique Debitte & Hervé made this photograph of the Jardin Mabille in Paris. The image presents an avenue of gas lamps, framing a distant perspective. The Jardin Mabille, active from 1844 to 1882, was no ordinary garden; it was a public pleasure garden, a space of spectacle and social mixing during a period of rapid urbanization and industrial growth in Paris. Spaces like these reflected a changing society, where leisure and entertainment became commercial activities. The gas lamps, a relatively new technology, symbolized modernity and progress, but also the commodification of public space. The photographic medium, itself a product of technological advancement, allowed for the democratization of images, making scenes like this accessible to a wider audience. By studying photographs and archives, we can examine the visual culture of the time, understanding how these social spaces were represented, consumed, and shaped by the public. The Jardin Mabille represents a fascinating intersection of social, technological, and cultural histories.