Façade van de Madeleinekerk in Parijs 1863 - 1875

Curator: This mounted albumen print captures the facade of the Madeleine Church in Paris, sometime between 1863 and 1875. It’s a stereo card format which offers a dual perspective. Editor: Oh, wow, it’s imposing, isn't it? Gives you that real neoclassical grandeur feeling. I mean, all those columns just reaching for the sky... makes you feel tiny. Curator: The symmetry is really key here. We can see how the photographer, probably part of a commercial studio, utilized photography both as an artistic medium but also as a document, capitalizing on architecture's visual impact and wide consumer demand. Editor: And I find myself wondering about the people in those horse-drawn carriages... Were they as awestruck as I am, or was this just another Tuesday morning for them? Maybe this church played a role in a big change, perhaps linked to France trying on so many different government forms throughout the 1800's. It stands here in this imposing state, just a quiet observer. Curator: Interesting to think about shifts in social life with expanding urban infrastructure, the way materials like stone and glass become commodities, labor forces reorganized around new industries... it shows in how spaces are constructed. Editor: Exactly, all those layers! I suppose those long shadows that bring a bit of drama, hint to time, to change. Do you know how many people worked on constructing this place? And how much material changed hands? Did anyone fall off one of these tall columns. Who's stories and memories got locked up in these columns forever? Curator: Exactly. The print itself speaks to new technologies and modes of circulation, creating wider access to visual experience while framing how the city is perceived through reproduction. Editor: Well, next time I'm in Paris, I'm going to try and find those quiet ghosts, hiding in plain sight. It almost makes me want to visit. Curator: Well, until then, at least we can appreciate the craftsmanship, skill, and socio-economic impact captured here, in this small card.