Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "La Céramique" door Jean Pierre Victor Huguenin en rechts "La Médecine" door Louis Eugène Bion c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus created this photograph titled 'Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre' without a specified date. The image features two plaster models of sculptures, 'La Céramique' and 'La Médecine,' each captured with a stark, documentary gaze. Baldus's approach emphasizes the structural elements of the sculptures, highlighting their forms through careful manipulation of light and shadow. The composition is deliberately formal, inviting a semiotic reading of the sculptural elements. Each figure and its accompanying attributes function as signs, pointing to broader cultural values and ideas. 'La Céramique,' with its vessels and tools, signifies craftsmanship and artistry, while 'La Médecine,' surrounded by symbolic flora, embodies healing and knowledge. Baldus uses the photographic medium to dissect and present these symbols, thereby engaging in a dialogue about representation and the role of art in reflecting societal ideals.