Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "La Paix" door Pierre Eugène Emile Hébert en rechts "Le Nord" door Amédée Donatien Doublemard c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus created this photographic print of plaster models for sculptures at the Palais du Louvre using a calotype. The photograph’s composition features two distinct sculptural studies, each sharply defined against the stark, empty space of the print. These isolated forms invite a focused analysis of their individual contours and textures. The monochromatic palette underscores the formal qualities of light and shadow, highlighting the tactile nature of the plaster. Baldus’s choice to present these models in isolation disrupts traditional notions of context and scale, encouraging viewers to consider the inherent qualities of the sculptures themselves. This approach aligns with a semiotic understanding, where the absence of surrounding details redirects our attention to the symbolic language embedded within the sculptures. The lack of color simplifies visual data, promoting a deeper engagement with the forms and their potential meanings. Baldus prompts us to investigate the interplay between representation and abstraction, where form dictates function and meaning.