Detail van de spiraalvormige trap van het Kasteel van Blois geornamenteerd met een salamander c. 1875 - 1900

Méderic Mieusement made this photograph of a staircase at the Château de Blois, France, using a technique known as albumen silver print. The image highlights the ornate carvings and the presence of a salamander, a symbol associated with French royalty. Blois was more than just a castle; it was a stage upon which French monarchs performed their power and authority. The sculpted salamander and the crowns weren’t merely decoration. Instead, they are visual cues that connect the château to the legacy of King Francis I, who adopted the salamander as his personal emblem. By prominently featuring these symbols, the architecture reinforced the monarchy's divine right to rule. To truly understand this photograph, one must consider the broader context of French history and the cultural significance of royal symbols. Sources in the French National Archives or academic studies of French royal iconography might reveal more about the ideologies that shaped both the architecture of Blois and the imagery surrounding it. Art is always contingent on social and institutional context.