[Fountain at Versailles] 1849 - 1853

Curator: This is "Fountain at Versailles," a daguerreotype by Louis-Rémy Robert, created sometime between 1849 and 1853. Editor: It’s so ghostly. An ethereal group of women seem frozen in sepia tones, like a half-remembered dream in a lavish garden. Is that intentional? Curator: Partly. Daguerreotypes were among the earliest commercially successful photographic processes. Its long exposure times meant capturing movement was tricky; any shifting subjects would appear blurred. The "freezing" we observe in this image is partly technological, the inability to capture real movement due to limitations with daguerrotype, making this early photo of the iconic French Garden look staged.. Editor: And the composition—why the almost sculptural arrangement of the women? Were they part of the fountain, part of a larger design? Curator: Yes, absolutely. What we see is a fragment of the Bassin de Flore. Louis-Rémy Robert, an official photographer for the French court, took several pictures of Versailles. We must imagine that Robert knew well of how royalty saw nature as extensions of their empire.. Editor: Do you get the sense of trying to capture the grandiose nature, taming and documenting something uncapturable? Curator: In a way, yes. But the daguerreotype democratized representation. Before photography, only the elite could have their portraits painted or landscapes drawn. This technique— fragile as it may seem with its unique silver-plated image —put power in other people's hands to show off how far and wide the sun stretched upon which kingdom. Editor: The texture, though—the stone almost glows, but the shadows are incredibly deep. It creates a compelling tension. I wonder if this would spark people to view this more? Curator: Robert expertly uses light to create texture, form, and drama, it's less than a reproduction than the first encounter people have for their land and their kingdom.. But with today's proliferation of imagery, maybe it's hard to fathom how magical this must've seemed when these photos hit social circles! Editor: A lost magic we might have a sliver to reflect and re-enjoy by pondering the past. Curator: Absolutely. Sometimes, revisiting past expectations allows one to view contemporary events more clearer and focused.