Gipsmodellen voor kariatiden op het Palais du Louvre door Louis Brian c. 1855 - 1857

This is a photograph by Edouard Baldus of plaster models for caryatids on the Palais du Louvre. Baldus made this image as part of the documentation of the Louvre’s expansion in the 19th century. These plaster models represent women, their draped forms hearkening back to classical antiquity. As caryatids, their primary function is architectural, meant to support the structure of the building above. However, they also function symbolically. Positioned on the façade of a building as grand as the Louvre, these figures act as emblems of the cultural values of the French Second Empire. Consider the weight these female figures carry, literally and figuratively. They stand, bearing the weight of the patriarchy, of empire, of nation, rendered passive and timeless through the lens of the camera. This image is a poignant reminder of the burdens placed upon women, both seen and unseen, throughout history.