Paris, City of Dreams: Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann, and the Creation of Paris

During Napoleon III's Second Empire, Paris was transformed into the beloved city of today. Napoleon III and Georges Haussmann rebuilt the city in less than two decades, but many Parisians refused to comply with censorship and entrenched institutional taste. This era saw the physical restructuring of Paris, innovative forms of banking and money-lending, and the emergence of Impressionism in art and Naturalism and Realism in literature. Napoleon III's reign ended after he led France into a devastating war against Germany, but his Paris has endured, brought to life through McAuliffe's rich illustrations and evocative narrative.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 344 pages
\n Publication date: 15 July 2020
\n Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
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Paris, City of Dreams explores the remarkable transformation of the City of Light during Napoleon III's Second Empire into the beloved city it is today. Accompanied by his trusted aide, Georges Haussmann, Napoleon III ambitiously embarked on a project to rebuild Paris in less than two decades, a breathtaking achievement fueled by the emperor's vision and Haussmann's unwavering determination. However, this ambitious endeavor was not without its challenges. Despite the regime's authoritarianism and the flourishing economy that Napoleon fostered, a significant number of Parisians refused to conform to the restrictions imposed by censorship and entrenched institutional taste.

In this captivating narrative, author Mary McAuliffe delves into the lives of artists like Edouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, and Claude Monet, as well as writers such as Emile Zola, Gustave Flaubert, and the poet Charles Baudelaire. Meanwhile, from exile, Victor Hugo continued to launch literary broadsides against the emperor he detested. McAuliffe vividly brings to life a pivotal era that encompassed not only the physical restructuring of Paris but also the innovative forms of banking and money-lending that financed industrialization and the city's transformation. This in turn led to the creation of new wealth and the flaunting of excess, while also producing extreme poverty.

Furthermore, profound changes were underway in the way people perceived and understood the world around them. The advent of new transportation and communication technologies, the popularization of photography, and the emergence of Impressionism in art and Naturalism and Realism in literature all contributed to a shift in artistic aspirations. These artistic yearnings would blossom during the Belle Epoque, a period of immense cultural and social prosperity.

While Napoleon III's reign came to an abrupt end after leading France into a devastating war against Germany, the Paris he created has endured. Through McAuliffe's rich illustrations and evocative narrative, the city's vibrant spirit and rich history come to life, reminding us of the enduring legacy of this remarkable period.

\n Weight: 616g\n
Dimension: 163 x 236 x 26 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781538121283\n \n