Deel van de tuin van het Kasteel van Saint-Cloud c. 1850 - 1860

Furne Fils and H. Tournier created this stereograph of part of the garden of the Château de Saint-Cloud. It’s a photographic print on card stock, a relatively inexpensive and reproducible medium. The photograph’s sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia, connecting us to the past through the inherent qualities of the materials used. Consider how this image was made: it's not just about capturing a scene. The repetitive, almost industrial, nature of early photography suggests a parallel to other production methods of the time. The photographic process itself becomes a form of labor, mirroring the cultivation of the meticulously arranged gardens. Moreover, the very act of photographing and circulating images like this one speaks to broader social issues. It democratizes access to aristocratic spaces, allowing the middle class to possess a piece of the opulence once exclusively reserved for the elite. By understanding the materials, processes, and social context in which an image was created, we challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and everyday craft.