Pavillon de la Bibliothèque Impériale in Paris

Édouard Baldus (1813-1889), albumen print, 1856-1857

Photography as a free and independent medium hardly existed in the 19th century: many of the photographs from this time were taken on commission for a specific purpose. Photographers such as Baldus and Marville, now considered undisputed great masters of 19th-century photography, rarely made non-commissioned work. Around 1855 Baldus recorded the massive rebuilding campaign of the Louvre.

  • Artwork typephotograph
  • Object numberRP-F-1996-266
  • Dimensionsheight 435 mm x width 343 mm
  • Physical characteristicsalbuminedruk