Arc de Triomphe, Paris — Tree-Framed Against Autumn Sky

4 October 2017 · Paris

The Arc de Triomphe fills the frame from a low angle at Place Charles de Gaulle, its Neoclassical limestone mass pushing upward against a clouded autumn sky. Tree canopy at upper left and bare branches at upper right act as a natural vignette, pulling the eye inward toward the arch. The bas-relief sculptures — La Marseillaise prominent on the right pier — resolve into detail at this distance. Stone that was built to command a city still does.