Jean-Baptiste Raguenet

Jean-Baptiste Raguenet was a French painter known for his detailed views of eighteenth century Paris. Born in 1715, he specialized in cityscapes showing the Seine, its bridges, quays, and busy riverside life. His paintings capture the buildings, boats, and crowds of the city with careful accuracy, making them valuable records of how Paris looked before later rebuilding.

He worked in the tradition of the topographical view, prized for both its beauty and its documentary detail. His scenes are full of small incidents of daily life along the river. Raguenet's precise, lively views give us one of the clearest pictures of the everyday Paris of his time.