Notre Dame Quai Saint Michel 

Antoine Blanchard captured Notre Dame Quai Saint Michel with oil on canvas. Blanchard, born in France in 1910, painted Parisian scenes during a time when the city was undergoing significant social and architectural changes, yet his works often depict an earlier era, evoking a sense of nostalgia. This particular painting resonates with a longing for a past when life seemed simpler. The soft brushstrokes and muted colors create a dreamlike quality, while the inclusion of horse-drawn carriages and classically dressed figures adds to the sense of temporal displacement. Blanchard's vision of Paris is not necessarily how it was, but how it was remembered. The scene is bustling, yet there is an underlying quietness, almost as if time has slowed down. Blanchard offers a romanticized view, carefully choosing elements that evoke beauty and harmony, and carefully omitting any signs of modernity which do not align with his vision. The painting invites us to contemplate the nature of memory, and how it shapes our understanding of place and time.