The Pont du Carrousel, Paris: View to the West from the Pont des Arts

Gustave Le Gray

National Gallery of Art

From just over a paved walkway running alongside a river, we look across the placid water toward a bridge spanning two banks of an elegant city in this horizontal, sepia-toned photograph. Printed in warm, rich tones of brown and ivory, the horizon line comes almost halfway up the composition. A few low, blocky barges and boats line the smooth river in front of us and along the opposite bank. The span of the bridge ahead of us is supported by three shallow arches with circles in descending sizes where the arches meet the pillars and the flat top of the bridge deck. A long building with rows of windows leading to a high peaked roof runs parallel to the river to our right. More buildings face the river to our left in the distance. A few shadowy forms near the left edge of the photograph, close to us, were created as people moved during the long exposure time needed for the image.