Exterieur van de Tour lanterne van het kasteel van Chambord c. 1880 - 1900

Médéric Mieusement made this albumen print of the Château de Chambord, likely in the 1860s or 70s. Consider the chemistry involved. Albumen, derived from egg whites, was carefully coated on paper, then sensitized with silver nitrate. This process yielded a highly detailed image, prized for its tonal range. But of course, the technology wasn't just about craft; it also served the vast imperial projects of the 19th century. Mieusement and others like him documented the world, providing visual fodder for colonial ambition and solidifying Europe’s self-image. Think, too, of the labor involved in constructing the Château itself. Each stone meticulously carved and placed, representing a massive investment of human effort and royal resources. Mieusement’s photograph captures not only the building’s grandeur, but also the social hierarchies embedded within its very structure. Photographs like these are testaments to ingenuity, but also reminders of the complex interplay between art, industry, and power.