Les Rues de Paris:  En voilà encore des mécaniques du cinq cent mille noms . . . c'est quelque chapelier qui aura invente ca.  Ou 'on m'aille chercher le prefet de police!

Les Rues de Paris: En voilà encore des mécaniques du cinq cent mille noms . . . c'est quelque chapelier qui aura invente ca. Ou 'on m'aille chercher le prefet de police!

Charles Joseph Traviès de Villers

1838

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a dramatic street scene in Paris. A man in a long coat is mid-fall, clutching his hat, while a woman in a big hat and shawl stands nearby, looking up. The buildings are rough and dark, with a dog lying on the ground. The title at the top reads *Les Rues de Paris* in bold letters. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and chaos. The caption below jokes about a "chapelier" (hat-maker) who invented some silly gadget—maybe the fallen man’s hat. The whole scene feels messy and full of life. Next, check out Romanticism to see how this fits into the movement’s love of drama and everyday stories.

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