Tour de Marlborough in Le Hameau de la Reine bij het Petit Trianon 1860 - 1880

Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy created this stereoscopic photograph of the Tour de Marlborough in the Hameau de la Reine at the Petit Trianon. The scene is bisected horizontally, the flat, reflective plane of the lake mirroring the dense copse of trees and the folly above. This arrangement creates an immersive, almost symmetrical composition. The photograph captures a landscape of artifice; the Hameau de la Reine was Marie Antoinette's contrived pastoral village. Lamy’s choice to use stereoscopy enhances the sense of depth, subtly playing with notions of realism and illusion. The sepia tone flattens the image while simultaneously evoking a sense of nostalgia. This constructed, theatrical landscape, captured through the lens of early photography, challenges our understanding of nature and representation. By accentuating the artificiality of this pastoral scene, the photograph subtly undermines conventional ideas of beauty and authenticity. The flatness of the print, combined with the illusion of depth, reminds us that art is always a constructed reality.