Gevel van het Pavillon de Rohan (onderzijde) c. 1857

Edouard Baldus made this albumen print, "Gevel van het Pavillon de Rohan (onderzijde)," at an unknown date. Baldus, working in the 19th century, lived through profound shifts in French society, notably the industrial revolution and the rise of photography as both an art form and a tool of documentation. This photograph captures a fragment of Parisian architecture. It presents the viewer with a meticulously detailed facade, showcasing the grandeur and precision of classical design. The image invites us to consider the relationship between architecture, power, and identity. Buildings like the Pavillon de Rohan were not merely structures; they were statements of cultural values. Baldus's work prompts reflection on how environments shape our experiences, and how photography can preserve and interpret the layers of history embedded in architecture. Consider the power structures that these grand buildings embodied and the lives of those who existed within and around them.