La Tour Saint Jacques 

Jean Béraud captured La Tour Saint-Jacques with oil on canvas. It serves not just as a depiction of a Parisian landmark, but as a mirror reflecting the social fabric of late 19th-century Paris. The tower, standing tall amidst a bustling urban scene, is juxtaposed with the figures populating the foreground. Predominantly middle-class, they represent the era's emergent bourgeoisie, a class defined by its aspirations and social mobility. We can also see working-class figures, perhaps the delivery woman with her basket. Béraud paints all of them with a keen eye, attentive to the nuances of social stratification. The subdued palette evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing for a romanticized past, even as modernity encroaches. The overcast sky seems to reflect the somber realities and social tensions simmering beneath the surface of Parisian life. Béraud invites us to consider the human drama unfolding against the backdrop of architectural grandeur. It is a reminder of the complexities inherent in urban life.