Hoektoren van het kasteel van Chambord c. 1880 - 1900

Médéric Mieusement made this albumen print of the Château de Chambord, sometime in the late 19th century. Mieusement has captured a corner tower, with light bouncing off the stone facade. The rough-hewn texture speaks to the immense labor required to build the Château, from quarrying stone to carving decorative details. Photography in this period was an intricate chemical process: glass negatives, light-sensitive emulsions, and long exposure times. In this print, the tonal range captures a sense of scale, while the viewpoint hints at the sheer effort involved in constructing and maintaining such a massive estate. The camera doesn't lie, as they say, and here it tells a story of ambition and resources made manifest in architecture. Considering photography as a craft helps us appreciate the photographer's skill and the social context of the image. This wasn't just a snapshot; it was a carefully constructed view of power, prestige, and the artistry of labor.