Bas-reliëf aan de kerk van Saint-Gilles-du-Gard 1852

Charles Nègre captured this image of a bas-relief at the church of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. The composition emphasizes the play of light and shadow on the stone carving. Nègre’s image is not just a straightforward depiction; it employs light and shadow to abstract the relief, highlighting certain forms while obscuring others. The texture of the stone, the depth of the carving, and the contrast between light and dark areas all contribute to the photograph’s aesthetic effect. The choice of photography to document this architectural detail reflects a nineteenth-century interest in cataloging and preserving cultural heritage. Nègre uses the formal elements of photography to engage with the historical and cultural significance of the relief, inviting us to consider how the medium shapes our understanding of the artwork it represents.