Théâtre Romain à Arles 1857 - 1860

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of the Roman Theatre in Arles using a process called salted paper printing. It was one of the earliest forms of photography, relying on a negative exposed to light and then developed to create a positive image on paper soaked in a saltwater solution. Baldus was a master of this technique, celebrated for his ability to capture architectural details with remarkable clarity and tonal range. But what’s truly remarkable is how he uses photography to freeze a specific moment in time. He creates a visual record that preserves not just the subject but also the labor and historical weight of the image. The way Baldus frames this image, with the remnants of a classical structure juxtaposed against contemporary buildings, blurs the line between documentation and artistry. He shows how photography could both record and transform the world, turning ruins into art.