Gezicht op het Palacio de la Equitativa aan de calles Alcalá in Madrid c. 1880 - 1890

Juan Laurent captured this photograph of the Palacio de la Equitativa in Madrid sometime in the mid-19th century. The sepia tone lends a classical quality, yet it’s the rigorous geometry that first captures our attention. Note how Laurent uses the symmetrical facade of the building to create a visually balanced composition. The Palacio’s windows and architectural details form a grid-like pattern, a structured series of horizontal and vertical lines. This echoes the structuralist idea that underlying systems govern how we perceive the world. The photograph also engages with semiotics. The Palacio itself can be seen as a signifier of stability and wealth, common aspirations of the time. The very act of photographing, framing, and presenting this edifice serves not just as a record but as an endorsement of these values. The emphasis on symmetry and order in Laurent's composition prompts us to consider the deeper cultural codes at play, and how architecture, when captured through the lens, participates in shaping collective ideals.