Exterieur van La Madeleine te Parijs c. 1865 - 1875

This albumen print shows the exterior of La Madeleine in Paris, photographed by the Compagnie Photographique Debitte & Hervé. The albumen process, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white to create a smooth surface for light-sensitive chemicals. What's fascinating is how this choice of material influences the image's aesthetic. The albumen gives the print a subtle sheen and a warm, sepia tone, softening the rigid Neoclassical architecture of the church. This was a technique that rendered the urban landscape romantic and timeless. Consider the labor involved: from raising the chickens for eggs, preparing the chemicals, and the slow work of exposing and developing the print, photography was not instant. The photograph is now more than a mere record; it's an artifact imbued with the social context of its making. By attending to these aspects, we understand it not just as a picture, but a crafted object too.