Sevilla-El Ayuntamiento, parte lateral de la izquierda, detalle del rincon c. 1857 - 1880

Juan Laurent captured this albumen print of Sevilla's City Hall, likely in the 1860s, amid a surge of European interest in Spain's architectural heritage. Laurent, a Frenchman working in Spain, documented its cities and monuments, feeding into and shaping the romanticized visions of the country. This image, with its intricate details of the Ayuntamiento’s Plateresque facade, invites us to consider the layers of cultural identity at play. The building itself embodies Spanish imperial power, constructed in the 16th century during the height of its colonial reach. Laurent’s photograph, taken centuries later, reflects a renewed fascination with Spain’s past, one tinged with orientalist undertones. Consider how the play of light and shadow renders a sense of timelessness, yet also hints at the social and political realities of the time. While celebrating Spanish artistry, Laurent’s lens also subtly frames a narrative of cultural dominance and exoticism.