Reims Cathedral (detail of facade)
Auguste-Rosalie Bisson
French, 1826–1900
Louis-Auguste Bisson
French, 1814–1876
c. 1855
An albumen silver print made from a glass negative showing the west façade of Reims Cathedral, intended to record and circulate the cathedral’s sculptural richness and monumental presence.
The photo immediately arrests you with a dense lacework of carved saints, pointed arches, and a glowing rose window where sunlight and shadow sculpt the stone so finely that the façade feels almost like woven fabric, while tiny figures at the doorway give a striking sense of scale.
Made in the 1850s, this work exemplifies how architectural photography began to function as a tool for art-historical study, heritage preservation, and the popular transmission of Gothic monuments during a period of renewed interest in medieval architecture.
Medium
Albumen silver print from a glass negative
Dimensions
17 11/16 × 14 3/8" (44.9 × 35.6 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Robert B. Menschel
Accession
341.1981
Palette
Exhibitions
