The Setting to the novel 'The Hours Before'


A few photos or pictures can really make historical fiction come alive. Here are some places and settings from the Belle Époque of the novel 'The Hours Before' - evocative scenes from London, Paris and Vienna, in which the story takes place:
painting of Victorian London, evening, gaslight, Fleet Street looking down towards St Pauls
Painting of Fleet Street by John Atkinson Grimshaw, c 1885, looking East towards Ludgate Circus and St Pauls
painting of street view of St Pauls and Ludgate Hill, London in Victorian times, busy
Another view of St. Paul’s and Ludgate Hill from Fleet Street - this time by William Logsdail c. 1884.
painting showing river Thames with Houses of Parliament to right background, with people on embankment
John Atkinson Grimshaw, Reflections on the Thames, Westminster - 1880. This is the Embankment, newly built at the time, situated on the north bank of the river.
For a blogpost on how the area altered during the 19th century, click here.
painting of Victorian street scene, nocturnal with gaslight and dark-clad figures
London, Pall Mall, and Saint James Street, by John Atkinson Grimshaw.
colourful painting shows Paris street scene at time of Belle Epoque, kiosk, elegant people
The Kiosk, Paris - Carlo Brancaccio
Paris street scene in snow, black clad figures busy, painting by Jean Béraud
Painting 'Outside the Opera - Paris' by Jean Béraud, 1879, evoking the fashions of the Fin de Siecle
elevated view of Vienna street scene around 1900, carriages, busy people
Vienna c 1900
interior of vienesse cafe during era of belle epoque, men reading newspapers at tables
Viennese cafe culture c. 1900
sepia tone photo around turn of the century shows elegant people outdoors beneath trees
A day at the races
photo of Vienesse street scene from high, showing opera house and trams
Opera House Vienna
painting of interior of restaurant with people at tables in elegant dress - musicians playing
Le Restaurant - Le Meurice, 1910
photo of busy street in 1900's Vienna, traffic, trams, carriages
Vienna, and the popular street named 'Am Graben' - c. 1900
old landscape painting of German town of Heidelburg with views of river and castle, trees
Spectacular view of the beautiful University town of Heldelburg, from early 19th century,  painted by Christian Philipp Koester