Degree Name

Department

Art History

College

Humanities

Defense Date

2026-04-15

Publication Date

2026-07-31

First Faculty Advisor

Heather Belnap

First Faculty Reader

James Swensen

Second Faculty Reader

Daryl Lee

Honors Coordinator

Heather Belnap

Keywords

Pont-Neuf, Paris, Bridge, Art, Public Space, Contemporary Art

Abstract

In a twist of irony, the Pont Neuf (“New Bridge”) stands today as the oldest bridge crossing the Seine River in Paris, France. This paper examines how artistic representations of the Pont-Neuf such as etchings, early photography, painting, and art installations embody shifting views of the bridge’s function, the role of public space, and community building even as the bridge itself has not changed. The Pont-Neuf is important to Parisians, as evidenced by how often it has been represented in art, both as an integral aspect of the city’s infrastructure as well as the center of cultural and public life. Finished by King Henri IV, the Pont-Neuf was a politically motivated project, promoting the image of the king and gaining the people’s favor, creating the most functional and popular public space of their time. As time moved on, the people took control of the narrative of the bridge and the Pont-Neuf became a hub of political and cultural events. In the arts, it rose as an important artistic subject as seen with the work of artists such as Nicolas Guérard, Eugène Atget, Maximilien Luce, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and JR capturing the daily activities taking place on the bridge and interested in documenting the discourses of their time as seen through the bridge. These evolving interpretations of the bridge and its role in public life show how though the bridge has stayed consistent, the relationship that individuals and communities have with the bridge has changed, reflecting the current moment and context of their time.