BLONDEL, Alain and Laurent Sully JAULMES. L’Image du Temps dans le Paysage Urbain 68 Photo-Constats.

(Paris): Musee des Arts Decoratifs, 1972.  First edition.  Softcover.  20.5cm by 24.5cm. Preface by Francois Mathey.  Afterword by Alain Blondel.  Published to accompany the exhibition Le Paysage Urbain at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, 20 October 1972 – 3 January 1973. A visually striking work investigates the transformation of the urban landscape over time through a method the authors call “photo-constats”.  Each of the 68 “constats” consists of a paired image set: a vintage postcard (often early 20th century) juxtaposed with a contemporary photograph taken from the same vantage point decades later. The result is a quietly compelling study in architectural change, urban planning, and the erosion or persistence of built environments. Rather than commentary, the book allows the visual evidence to speak for itself, encouraging reflection on memory, time, and visual perception.  A very good copy in wrappers with cover photograph by Roxanne Debuisson.