The Virtues Crushing the Vices, Strasbourg Cathedral 1853

Charles Marville created this photograph of the Virtues Crushing the Vices at Strasbourg Cathedral using the 19th-century process of Albumen silver printing. This procedure would have involved coating a paper base with a layer of egg white, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. The resulting print presents a remarkably crisp image of the stone carvings. Look closely, and you can appreciate the texture of the stone and the sculptor’s tooling. Marville’s image also shows the weathering of the stone, which speaks to both the environmental conditions and the labor involved in maintaining the cathedral. Consider too the social context in which this photograph was made. Cathedrals were often seen as symbols of civic pride and spiritual authority. By documenting these sculptures, Marville participates in this tradition, celebrating the enduring power of faith and the skill of the artisans who created it. This photograph serves as a reminder of the intertwined histories of art, craft, and the social values they represent.