Vienne, St. Jean 1860 - 1862

Edouard Baldus made this photograph, titled ‘Vienne, St. Jean’, using a salted paper print. Notice how the composition is structured around the river as a dominant horizontal axis, bisecting the image. The buildings on either side, with their varied heights and textures, create a complex interplay of vertical lines, sharply contrasting with the smooth, reflective surface of the water. The overall effect is one of depth, drawing the eye into the scene. Baldus uses the photographic medium to explore how architecture interacts with the natural landscape. The image reveals a tension between the solidity of the buildings and the fluid, ever-changing nature of the river. In this tension, we can consider the relationship between permanence and transience that was emerging in philosophical discourse. Consider the formal qualities of the photograph, with its careful arrangement of shapes, lines, and tonal contrasts. It invites us to contemplate how Baldus was engaging with evolving ideas about space, representation, and perception.