Dak en zolderverdieping van het Pavillon Richelieu in het Palais du Louvre c. 1857

Edouard Baldus captured this photograph of the roof and attic of the Pavillon Richelieu at the Palais du Louvre using the wet collodion process. This technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it in the camera while still wet, and then developing it immediately. The process demanded speed and precision, but produced images of remarkable clarity and detail. In this photograph, the texture of the stone and the intricate details of the building's ornamentation are sharply defined. Baldus's choice of this medium highlights the skill and labor involved in constructing the Louvre, a grand symbol of French power and culture. The photograph's sharp focus and tonal range serve to emphasize the physical presence and material reality of the building. By focusing on the materials and processes behind both the building and its photographic representation, Baldus invites us to consider the cultural and social significance embedded within them.