Who painted Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris?

Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris was painted by Édouard Baldus in 1855.

Where can I see Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris?

Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris?

Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris

Édouard Baldus , 1855

Louvre, Façade rue de Rivoli, Paris is a photography by the Impressionist artist Édouard Baldus. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

You see a long, sunlit stone wall with tall columns and arched windows—the side of the Louvre museum in Paris.

You see a long, sunlit stone wall with tall columns and arched windows—the side of the Louvre museum in Paris.

This isn’t a painting. It’s an early photograph from 1855, taken while the building was still under construction. Baldus used a new process called albumen printing, which gave his images a soft, detailed look. The photo was meant to document the project, not just show off the architecture.

To see how photography changed art, look up the technique impasto.

Overview

This 1855 photograph by Louis Baldus captures the Louvre's rue de Rivoli façade during the construction of the New Louvre project under Napoleon III. The image shows a sunlit stone wall with columns and arched windows, documenting the building's state at the time.

Subject & Meaning

The photograph's primary purpose was to record the progress of the New Louvre's construction, which aimed to connect the Louvre and Tuileries Palaces. The hidden arch, leading to the future courtyard (later home to I.M. Pei's glass pyramid), is obscured from view.

Technique & Style

Baldus utilized the albumen printing process, a novel technique at the time, to achieve a soft yet detailed image. This contrasts with the suggested comparison to impasto, a painting technique characterized by thick, textured brushstrokes, highlighting the distinct qualities of early photography.

History & Provenance

Commissioned in 1854, the photograph is part of Baldus's series documenting the New Louvre's construction for Napoleon III's project. The image predates the completion of the project and the later addition of the glass pyramid in 1988.

Context

Taken in the context of 19th-century architectural photography, Baldus's work contributed to the emerging role of photography in documenting large-scale construction projects and urban development.

Legacy

This photograph, as part of Baldus's oeuvre, is significant in the history of photography, especially in architectural documentation. It also serves as a precursor to later photographic projects capturing the evolution of iconic buildings.