Façade van het Kasteel van Châteaudun c. 1875 - 1900

This photograph of the Façade van het Kasteel van Châteaudun was made by Médéric Mieusement. Like many photographers of his era, Mieusement would have been keenly aware of the chemistry involved in image making. He used light-sensitive materials on a glass plate negative to capture the impressive facade. The tonal range of this albumen print, from the pale sky to the deep shadows within the doorway, highlights the chemical processes at play, which demanded a careful balance of elements. This building represents the peak of French Gothic architecture. It would have required armies of stonemasons, glaziers and carpenters to build. Mieusement’s photograph makes visible that complex history of making. The image also reminds us of the intense labor once needed to produce even a single photograph. Both building and photograph are monuments to handcraft, preserved for us to admire today.