Voorgevel van de Collegiale Kerk Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais te Gisors c. 1875 - 1900

This albumen print captures the facade of the Collegiate Church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais in Gisors. Médéric Mieusement, the French photographer, made this print using a process dependent on both science and craft. Albumen printing, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface sensitive to light. The negative was then pressed against this treated paper and exposed to sunlight, resulting in a detailed, sepia-toned image. Consider the labor-intensive nature of this method, from preparing the albumen to the meticulous printing process. The resulting image, while seemingly straightforward, is a testament to the skills and techniques involved in early photography. Mieusement’s careful attention to detail also highlights the architectural grandeur of the church, itself built by skilled stonemasons and artisans. Photography democratized the recording of architectural wonders, shifting away from painting's exclusivity, and offered a new medium accessible to a broader audience.