Bovenste deel van de trap in het kasteel van Blois met waterspuwers en een versierde borstwering c. 1880 - 1900

This photograph by Médéric Mieusement captures the upper part of a staircase at the Château de Blois. The architecture is defined by stone, carefully cut, carved and assembled. Stone is a material of deep geological time, but it is also intimately connected to human time, transformed through laborious quarrying, dressing, and construction into structures like this. Look closely and you’ll see the tool marks that testify to the handwork involved. The heavy blocks are intricately worked to create a visually lighter, elegant effect. This staircase isn’t just functional, it's a declaration of power. Think of the number of skilled masons, sculptors, and laborers it would have taken to realize this elaborate design. The stone embodies the cultural values of the elite, a display of wealth and status. So next time you see stonework like this, remember the complex relationship between the raw material, the intensive labor, and the architectural aspiration.