Interieur van de Salle Mauresque in het Monte Carlo Casino c. 1860 - 1890

This photograph captures the interior of the Salle Mauresque in the Monte Carlo Casino, taken by Étienne Neurdein. Immediately striking is the way the receding lines of tables and chandeliers draw the eye into the depths of the room. The architectural space is articulated by a strict orthogonal grid, yet the objects within it seem to defy any simple categorization. We see a series of echoing arches and lights whose ornate forms contrast sharply with the rigid lines of the tables and floor. Neurdein’s arrangement of the scene engages with binary oppositions: order versus ornamentation, emptiness versus utility. The photograph creates a sense of spatial ambiguity. The receding perspective of the tables and the echoing arches lead the eye deeper into the space, yet the tonal uniformity flattens the image, challenging traditional notions of depth and perspective. This juxtaposition of architectural structure and decorative excess invites a reconsideration of how spaces reflect and shape human activity.