Gipsmodel voor een gewelfversiering van het Pavillon Richelieu in het Palais du Louvre c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of a plaster model for a vault decoration in the Pavillon Richelieu of the Palais du Louvre. Baldus made his name documenting France's architectural heritage, often under the patronage of state-sponsored projects. His work, including this image, speaks to the 19th-century impulse to preserve and celebrate national identity through art and architecture. Consider the symbolism: the elaborate ornamentation suggests a celebration of power, wealth, and historical continuity. Whose stories are being told through these grand architectural statements? How do such structures shape our understanding of history and national identity, and whose stories are left out of this narrative? What emotional and social impact does it have on those who may feel excluded or marginalized by these displays of power?