Avignon 1859 - 1862

Edouard Baldus created this photograph of Avignon using paper and albumen print. The image is dominated by the imposing architecture of the city, particularly the Palais des Papes, its towers reaching skyward. Such structures are more than stone; they symbolize temporal power and spiritual authority, echoing the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia. Consider how the tower, as an archetypal image, appears throughout history. From the Tower of Babel to the minarets of Islam, the impulse to build high remains constant. The Palais des Papes, like these structures, provokes a psychological response, a sense of awe. Such architecture appeals to our collective memory, stirring a primeval recognition of power. These symbols have resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts. The photograph captures not just a city, but an enduring symbol of human aspiration and dominion.