Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "La Rochefoucauld" door Noël Jules Girard en rechts "Corneille" door Henri Lemaire c. 1855 - 1857

This photograph by Edouard Baldus captures plaster models for sculptures at the Palais du Louvre. The eye is immediately drawn to the two figures, isolated against the stark, negative space of the image, which emphasizes their textural details. Baldus uses the photographic medium to highlight the sculptures' forms. The cool tones and sharp focus reveal the subtle gradations in the plaster and the intricate drapery of their garments. The composition is structured around the contrasts between light and shadow which accentuate the three-dimensionality of the statues. In semiotic terms, these statues act as signs of cultural and historical memory, and the photograph captures not just their visual likeness but also their symbolic role. The image is not merely a recording, but an interpretation, and the arrangement of the statues invites a dialogue about the relationship between art, history, and representation.