Sokkel van de Colonne Vendôme in Parijs 1873

Here, we have Charles Dauvois's photograph, "Sokkel van de Colonne Vendôme in Parijs," a stereo card capturing the base of the Vendôme Column. The sepia tones imbue the scene with a sense of historical distance, while the stereoscopic format invites a unique depth of field, pulling us into the Parisian square. The photograph’s composition hinges on the interplay between the column's ornate base and the surrounding urban architecture. Dauvois frames the shot to emphasize the structure's dense, sculptural reliefs, their intricate details sharply contrasting against the plainer facades of nearby buildings. This juxtaposition serves not only to highlight the column's artistic and political significance but also to subtly question the very notion of monumentality. The very act of photographing, of capturing a three-dimensional object in two dimensions only to then recreate its depth through stereoscopy, destabilizes our perception of space and representation. This challenges fixed meanings, opening the artwork to ongoing interpretation.