Pissoire, Paris, c. 1910

Pissoires are outdoor public urinals that dotted the streets of Paris for over a century. They were first introduced in the 1830s by the city prefect, Claude-Philibert de Rambuteau, in response to the noxious odors that plagued Paris’s streets due to public urination. They were also called vespasiennes after the 1st century Roman Emperor Vespasianus, who taxed the urine collected from public toilets for use in tanning. These conveniences were for the male population only, as officials deemed female-friendly toilets a waste of space. All had space for advertising, which paid for the structures. The pissoire in this image is partially sponsored by Pastorine, a paint company. During World War II, the stalls were used as rendezvous points for French Resistance fighters to exchange information covertly. During their heyday in 1900, Paris had over 1,500 pissoires in many different shapes and sizes. This street scene captured by Harry C. Ellis (1857-1926) encapsulates a vanishing element of Parisian life.
 
Photographer: stamped—Harry C. Ellis , American Flashlight Photographer, 13 Rue Brey, Front, PARIS
Format: Silver Gelatin
Size: 6.75 x 4.75
Condition: Very Good