Schilderijengalerij in het paleis van Versailles c. 1860 - 1880

Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy produced this photograph of a gallery within the Palace of Versailles sometime in the mid-19th century, using a then-novel stereographic technique. The image captures a moment in the public life of art, one in which the museum itself becomes the subject. In the 19th century, Versailles was repurposed to showcase French military triumphs. The photograph frames a huge painting of the Crimean War displayed alongside smaller works and portrait busts. These spaces, like the images in them, were highly coded. As much today as then, they shape national narratives and cultural values. This photograph provides clues about how art was viewed and consumed at this time. Scholars can use photographs like this as historical documents, researching the social and political context to reveal the complex relationships between art, power, and national identity.