Edouard Baldus (1813-1889), Saint-gilles Church, Signed, C. 1856, Albumen Print, Photograph

Vintage albumen print, Church of Saint-Gilles, circa 1856, signed in the plate and with a wet stamp on the mount. This magnificent albumen print captures the Romanesque architecture of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard with a spectacular level of detail. The rich sepia tones highlight the intricate sculptures of the church's facade. The composition emphasizes the grandeur of the central portal, flanked by two smaller arches, all adorned with sculptures. The railings are now lost. A copy of this print is held at the Musée d'Orsay. Baldus's photographic work is devoted to architecture and landscape and is marked by official commissions that made him one of Napoleon III's (1813-1889) favorite photographers. He is the official chronicler of his era through his numerous photographic works on the restoration of monuments and railway construction. Among other projects, he documented the reconstruction of the Louvre and the opening of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway line. Alongside Hippolyte Bayard (1801-1887), Henri Le Secq (1818-1882), Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884), and O. Mestral (1812-1884), he participated in the 1851 Heliographic Mission commissioned by the Commission of Historical Monuments to inventory the most remarkable buildings in need of restoration in various regions of France. Mounted 50 x 65 cm. Image size 36 x 44 cm. Cardboard size 47.5 x 62 cm. Link to the website: https://www.lavalisearlesienne.com/product-page/edouard-baldus-1813-1889-eglise-saint-gilles-sign-circa-1856