Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "Louvois" door Aimé Millet en rechts "Saint-Simon" door Pierre Hébert c. 1855 - 1857

This photograph by Édouard Baldus, a prominent French photographer, captures plaster models for sculptures that were intended for the Palais du Louvre in Paris. The sculptures are "Louvois" by Aimé Millet and "Saint-Simon" by Pierre Hébert, both created around 1855-1857. This image exemplifies Baldus's talent for capturing architectural details and artistic subjects with clarity and precision, contributing to the rise of photography as a valuable tool for documentation and artistic expression. The plaster models, depicted in stark detail, provide a glimpse into the creative process behind monumental sculptures, and the photograph itself serves as a historical document, preserving the artistic aspirations of mid-19th century France. The image is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, offering a unique opportunity to study the works of renowned French artists and sculptors.