Interieur van een salon in het paleis van Versailles c. 1860 - 1880

This stereoscopic card made by Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy captures a salon in the Palace of Versailles, inviting us into a world of luxury crafted from precious materials. Look at the intricate woodwork, undoubtedly carved by skilled artisans. The walls are paneled, perhaps gilded, reflecting a culture of intense labor and specialized craft. Then there is the chandelier made of glass, along with the marble bust and paintings in ornate frames. The construction of Versailles relied on an enormous workforce, from quarrymen extracting stone to the craftsmen responsible for these refined decorations. Stereoscopic cards like this one were commercial products, sold to a burgeoning middle class keen to experience the opulence of elite spaces through relatively affordable means. The tension between the exclusive world depicted, and the mass-produced image itself, reflects the social dynamics of the period, a society undergoing profound change. Considered in this light, even a seemingly straightforward image of an interior reminds us of the complex relationships between materials, making, and social context.