Saint-Georges de Boscherville, près Rouen 1852 - 1854

Edmond Bacot captured this albumen silver print, "Saint-Georges de Boscherville, près Rouen," during a transformative period in nineteenth-century France. As industrialization and urbanization accelerated, photography emerged as a powerful tool for documenting the nation's architectural heritage. Bacot’s choice to photograph a religious building speaks to the complex relationship between the church and state. The image freezes a moment in time, inviting us to reflect on the enduring presence of religious institutions within a changing social landscape. The architectural symmetry evokes the rigidity of social hierarchies and the aesthetic values that shaped the era. What might it have meant for the communities who lived around this abbey? How would they have felt, seeing the slow decay of the stones, or the continuous presence of faith in their lives? This image captures the intersection of progress and tradition, inviting viewers to consider how the past informs our present.