Untitled from the portfolio Souvenirs du Camp de Chalons
Gustave Le Gray
French, 1820–1884
1857
Gustave Le Gray's albumen silver print from a wet‑collodion glass negative captures a group of soldiers at Camp de Chalons in an effort to document everyday military life rather than stage a formal portrait.
A large canvas tent anchors a loosely gathered band of men—some seated, one pouring from a jug—whose relaxed poses and crisp mid‑tone detail make the scene feel intimate and immediate.
Made in 1857, the image exemplifies how Le Gray and the wet‑collodion process opened photography to documentary subjects, producing large, detailed prints that helped establish modern visual reportage of public life and institutions.
Medium
Albumen silver print from a wet-collodion glass negative
Dimensions
11 3/4 × 14 1/2" (29.9 × 36.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Paul F. Walter
Accession
325.1991.6
Palette
Exhibitions
