Gipsmodellen voor beeldhouwwerken op het Palais du Louvre: links "Buffon" door Eugène-André Oudiné en rechts "Froissart" door Henri Lemaire c. 1855 - 1857

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of plaster models for sculptures around the Palais du Louvre. Plaster, a humble material, often serves as a stepping stone in the creation of more permanent sculptures. It's easily molded and relatively inexpensive, allowing artists to experiment and refine their ideas before committing to more costly and time-consuming materials like bronze or marble. Here, Baldus captures two such models, immortalizing them in a new medium: photography. Notice the texture of the plaster, the way it catches the light, and the subtle imperfections that reveal the artist's hand. Each groove, each contour, speaks to the labor and skill involved in the sculpting process. Photography democratizes the art world. Through the photographic lens, Baldus collapses the traditional hierarchy between model and finished sculpture, between craft and fine art. In doing so, he invites us to consider the value of process, the artistry inherent in making, and the social context that gives rise to all creative endeavors.