[St. Pierre, Caen]
1850s
Medium
Salted paper print from paper negative
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
David Hunter McAlpin Fund, 1946
Accession Number
46.1.59
Tags
Art Historical Context
This salted paper print from a paper negative, titled *[St. Pierre, Caen]* and dating to the 1850s, captures the towers of the Église Saint, a Gothic church in Caen,, France. Created by an unknown photographer, it exemplifies early photography's role in preserving architectural wonders. The image likely highlights the church's intricate spires and Flamboyant Gothic details, blending medieval grandeur with Renaissance flourishes—a testament to Caen's rich history amid the Hundred Years' War era. The salted paper process, pioneered by William Henry Fox Talbot in the 1840s as the calotype, was r...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...