Bassin d'Apollon in de tuin van het Paleis van Versailles c. 1870 - 1890

This photograph captures the Bassin d'Apollon in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. It’s an albumen print, a process developed in the 1850s, in which paper is coated with egg white and a silver solution, creating a smooth surface to capture fine detail. The choice of photography as a medium here is fascinating, given the subject matter. Versailles was, of course, the ultimate statement of royal power, a landscape entirely designed to communicate absolute control. Yet, this image, with its tonal gradations achieved through chemistry, offers something different. Instead of the sharp lines and imposing scale of the actual site, the print gives us a softer, more ethereal interpretation. Consider the labor involved, not just in the making of the gardens themselves, but in the making of the image, the work that went into this photograph. It reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward image is the result of complex processes, choices, and a great deal of human effort. Ultimately blurring the distinction between high art, documentation, and craft.