Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "Voltaire" door Antoine Desboeufs en rechts "Bossuet" door Louis Desprez c. 1855 - 1857

This photograph, taken by Édouard Baldus between 1855 and 1857, showcases plaster models for sculptures intended for the Palais du Louvre. The left model, by Antoine Desboeufs, depicts Voltaire, while the right model, by Louis Desprez, portrays Bossuet. These figures, considered prominent figures of French intellectual history, were intended to be placed in the palace. Baldus, a pioneer of photography, utilized the medium to capture the detail of these sculptures. This work exemplifies the use of photography as a tool for documentation and artistic exploration in the 19th century.