Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: "La Paix" door Leprêtre c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of a plaster cast relief titled "La Paix" for the Palais du Louvre. The composition immediately draws our eye to its triangular pediment shape, a solid form disrupted by the textured figures it frames. The low contrast of the albumen print flattens the sculptural relief; we lose depth, focusing instead on the patterns of light and shadow across the surface. Note how Baldus has positioned the camera to create a symmetrical composition. The central figure anchors the work, flanked by reclining cherubic figures. The triangular shape establishes a clear visual hierarchy, inviting us to decode its message of peace through a classical visual language. By photographing a plaster cast rather than the final stone carving, Baldus isolates the relief from its architectural context. This reframing encourages us to consider the sculpture's form and symbolic content. The photograph not only documents the artwork but also invites us to contemplate the relationship between photography, sculpture, and the reproduction of classical ideals in the modern era.