Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: "Les Vendanges" door Georges Clère c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus created this photograph of the plaster models for sculptures on the Palais du Louvre in France. Baldus, working in the mid-19th century, captured the sculptures of putti harvesting grapes by Georges Clère, a period when photography was increasingly used to document art and architecture. The image reflects the cultural values of the time, idealizing childhood and labor within a decorative, classical framework. The cherubic figures suggest innocence and abundance, yet they also mask the realities of labor. The sculptures themselves, adorning a place of power, suggest the complex relationships between art, labor, and social class. Baldus’ photograph invites us to consider how these representations shape our understanding of work and childhood. This image leaves us contemplating the stories we tell through art and architecture, and whose realities they represent.