Begane grond van de Bibliothèque Impériale in het Palais du Louvre c. 1857

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of the ground floor of the Imperial Library in the Louvre Palace using the calotype process. The image on view is thus a paper negative, exposed in the camera and then used to make multiple positive prints. The texture of the paper is visible in the final image. Baldus was one of the great masters of architectural photography, and he understood how light could reveal the structure and detailing of buildings. The calotype process involves coating paper with silver iodide, exposing it in a camera, and then developing the latent image. This technique was prized for its ability to capture detail and tonal range, but the need for a darkroom limited its application. The calotype was used as an artistic medium and a documentary tool, particularly in architectural and landscape photography. Baldus was working at a time when photography was not considered "high art." Yet, his masterful use of the process elevates the medium to a new level.