Reims Cathedral (buttresses of the nave)
Auguste-Rosalie Bisson
French, 1826–1900
Louis-Auguste Bisson
French, 1814–1876
c. 1855
An albumen silver print photograph by Louis-Auguste Bisson that documents the soaring flying buttresses and sculpted figures of Reims Cathedral, aiming to capture the Gothic façade’s monumental rhythm and carved detail.
The eye is caught by the strict verticality and repetition of pointed arches and pinnacles, the statues standing like watchful sentinels, and the crisp contrasts of light and shadow that reveal the weathered texture and depth of the stonework.
As an early architectural photograph, it helped make medieval monuments widely visible and legible, shaping nineteenth‑century preservation efforts, scholarship, and the visual language of the Gothic revival.
Medium
Albumen silver print from a glass negative
Dimensions
17 3/4 × 13 3/8" (45.1 × 34.0 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Robert B. Menschel
Accession
345.1981
Palette
Exhibitions
