Hôtel du Bourgtheroulde, Rouen 1852 - 1854

Edmond Bacot made this albumen silver print of the Hôtel du Bourgtheroulde in Rouen. The 19th-century albumen process involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface sensitive to light. This painstaking process was the bridge between earlier photographic experiments, and the mass-produced photography that would soon follow. Consider the labor involved in Bacot's practice; mixing chemicals, coating papers, carefully exposing the print to light, and then developing and fixing it. This wasn't mass production, but a craft-based approach that required technical skill and an eye for composition. Look closely and you can observe the soft tonal range, the subtle details captured in the stone facade, and the way the light plays across the building's surface. These qualities are a direct result of the materials and processes employed. Thinking about photography as a craft helps us appreciate the choices Bacot made. Ultimately, this shifts our focus from simply recording the world to actively shaping it.