Description:

Karl Pertgen
German, b. 1881
Vue générale des théâtres du boulevard du Temple, avant le percement du boulevard du Prince Eugène en 1862
Oil on canvas
Signed

Provenance: Sotheby's, New York, April 18, 2007, lot 68

The Boulevard du Temple in Paris follows the path of the city wall constructed by Charles V and then demolished under Louis XIV. The current boulevard was built between 1656 and 1705. From the late 1700s to 1830 the boulevard was considered quite fashionable, and the cafés and the theaters previously located at the Saint-Laurent and Saint-Germain moved there. The grand theaters depicted here from left to right are as follows: the Théâtre Lyrique, Théâtre Impérial du Cirque, Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques, Théatre de la Gaîté, Théatre des Funambules, Théâtre des Funambules, Théâtre des Délassements-Comique, and Théatre Lazary. After a time, the Boulevard du Temple was nicknamed Boulevard du Crime for the crime melodramas that enjoyed widespread popularity at the surrounding theaters. In 1835, Guiseppe Fieschi attempted to kill King Louis-Philippe as he was visiting one of the boulevard’s many theaters. The attempt was unsuccessful but resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians and left 23 onlookers injured. Also important to note, Louis Daugerre captured the iconic street in one of the earliest daguerrotypes, and the resulting photograph is believed to be the earliest surviving photograph showing a person. A man who coincidentally stopped to have his shoes shined and who therefore remained still was captured on the plate. All other traffic rushing through the street vanished due to the length of exposure, which came close to half an hour. Baron Haussmann’s radical transformation of Paris saw this area dramatically modified. Many of the 18th-century theaters were demolished upon the construction of Boulevard du Prince Eugéne. The construction of the new street was part of an enlargement of the Place de la République, and it was built to Haussmann’s specifications. Paved, wide sidewalks were incorporated along with a modern drainage system meant to propel Parisian aesthetics into the 20th century. Today only the Théâtre Déjazet still stands.

  • Dimensions: 33" x 75"

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November 22, 2020 12:00 PM EST
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Cross Gate Gallery

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