Gezicht op het Palais Brongniart in Parijs before 1840

This is a reproduction of an image of the Palais Brongniart in Paris, made by A. Provost. The image looks like it was printed using a photomechanical process, somewhere between an etching and a photograph. We can tell that, because Provost’s name is printed at the bottom of the page. This process allowed for the mass production of images, embedding them in books and periodicals. The effect is one of great precision, a sharp depiction of the commodities exchange building, including the neoclassical detailing, which in its way mirrors the efficiency of a capitalist system. The image is printed on woven paper and bound into a book; the mechanization of image-making is paralleled by the industrialization of bookbinding. This combination of artisanal tradition and industrial production is a reflection of the wider social forces at work in Paris at the time. By paying attention to how this image was produced, and the skill involved, we can appreciate the artistry of the image and its relationship to wider social and economic issues.