Arles, Amphithéâtre 1858 - 1860

Edouard Baldus made this photograph of the Arles Amphitheater using the Calotype process, which was quite novel in the mid-19th century. Baldus has captured the texture of the stone with incredible clarity. Consider the way the light catches the rough surfaces, worn by time and weather. The Calotype process was unique because it produced a paper negative, imbuing each print with a soft, almost painterly quality. Unlike later photographic processes, each Calotype print is unique. Think about the labor involved here. Not just Baldus carefully preparing his chemicals and camera, but also the countless hands that quarried, shaped, and assembled the original Roman structure centuries before. It is a fascinating interplay between the ancient craft of stone construction and the emerging technologies of photography. Baldus invites us to consider the layers of time and human effort embedded in this place. It is a reminder that every image, like every object, carries within it a story of materials, making, and the social forces that shaped its creation.