[Still Life] 1850

This "Still Life" photograph of a bull's head was made by Louis-Rémy Robert in France sometime in the mid-19th century using a calotype, an early photographic process. In this period, photography was not yet the readily accessible medium we know today. Its invention was closely tied to scientific and artistic circles, as practitioners explored its potential for both documentation and creative expression. Robert, who worked for the Sèvres porcelain factory, likely used photography as a tool for recording and studying animal forms, perhaps for use in decorative designs. The stark presentation of the bull's head, isolated on a simple table, speaks to the analytical spirit of the time, where the natural world was subjected to intense scrutiny and categorization. But the image also raises questions about the relationship between humans and animals, and the power dynamics inherent in representation. To fully understand this photograph, we might look into the scientific and artistic networks of 19th-century France, the history of the Sèvres factory, and the broader cultural fascination with natural history.