Stanford University Libraries presents the Roxane Debuisson Collection

Stanford University Libraries has unveiled an extraordinary exhibition titled A Vision of Paris: TheRoxane Debuisson Collection, which will run until January 24, 2027, at the Cecil H. Green Library. This presentation in the Peterson Gallery and Munger Rotunda marks the inaugural public display of Roxane Debuisson's extensive collection, chronicling the transformative history of Paris throughout the long 19th century.

Roxane Debuisson (1927–2018) dedicated sixty years to collecting materials that documented the growth and renovation of Paris, particularly during the dynamic 1850s to 1870s. It was a time when Napoleon III and his prefect, Baron Eugène Haussmann, revolutionized the cityscape through the creation of new boulevards, public utilities, and green spaces. In turning Paris into the birthplace of modernity, Haussmann’s projects demolished much of the old city and disrupted its social and cultural infrastructure. These sweeping changes reshaped the Parisian urban environment and brought forth significant commercial and civilizational innovations.
 

“Roxane Debuisson was a woman with a vision. Her experiences living in Paris during the rapid modernization that followed the destruction of World War II inspired a clear direction for her collecting activities,” said Sarah Sussman, Assistant University Librarian for Collections and Services. “While Debuisson could not halt the rapid changes she witnessed during her lifetime, she could at least preserve the remnants of the city's earlier history through a diverse array of images, literature, guidebooks, and documents. She turned her apartment into a private research library and museum. Her efforts epitomize Paris as a place defined by the tension between its historical past and continuous reinvention,” Sussman added.
 

Chloe Summers Edmondson, recently appointed as an assistant professor of French at the University of Miami, co-curated the exhibition alongside Sussman and exhibition designer Deardra Fuzzell. Edmondson earned her PhD from Stanford in 2020 and subsequently served as a lecturer, holding various roles in the Department of French and Italian. She was also the France-Stanford Center Fellow for the Roxane Debuisson Collection on Paris History from 2023 to 2026. During her time at Stanford, she provided students with the opportunity to engage with the collection materials, incorporating them into class projects and assignments. Edmondson has noted that her curatorial work has inspired new research interests at the intersection of urban, economic, and political history, particularly focusing on the development of a consumer society in Paris.

The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections. The first highlights the pedagogical and research opportunities presented by various material formats, including photographs, postcards, shop receipts, and press clippings. The second section examines how commercial and occupational trends shaped the city's development, while the third focuses on the visible impacts of political upheavals and infrastructural changes of the nineteenth century.
 

The impressive selection of materials in the exhibit, much like the collection itself, aims to capture the essence of the city. In addition to images of iconic monuments and accounts of well-known political revolutions, it features numerous ephemeral items that provide a glimpse into everyday life. “These materials, which were more often discarded than collected, reflect Roxane Debuisson’s deep love for Paris and her intense curiosity about what makes the city so unique,” noted Sussman.
 

Shop receipts, billheads, commercial almanacs, business directories, and trade catalogs illustrate the evolution of modern commerce, highlighting urban transportation, food vendors, and retail establishments ranging from small shops to department stores. Image-based materials further solidified Paris's status as a global capital of art and tourism. The city played a pivotal role in the popularization of stereoscopes, illustrated periodicals, sheet music, travel guides, and postcards.
 

“Visitors to A Vision of Paris will have the opportunity to delve into the heart of a city that has long captivated the world, viewed through the lens of a dedicated collector whose passion for history shines through her remarkable compilation of artifacts,” said Michael A. Keller, the Ida M. Green University Librarian. Since its acquisition by the Libraries in 2020, the Roxane Debuisson Collection has served as a rich resource for researchers across disciplines, allowing scholars to explore subjects such as political and economic history, art, architecture, urban planning, and material culture.