The Floods of 1856, Church of Saint-Pothin, Lyon 1856

"The Floods of 1856, Church of Saint-Pothin, Lyon" by Edouard Baldus (1813-1889) is a poignant photographic record of the devastation caused by the floods in Lyon, France. This calotype print, taken in 1856, shows the church of Saint-Pothin standing amidst the ruins of collapsed buildings, a stark reminder of the destructive power of nature. Baldus, a pioneer of photography, used his medium to document the aftermath of the disaster, capturing the somber reality of the event for posterity. The image, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, serves as a testament to both the destructive nature of floods and the enduring power of photography to preserve historical moments.