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Grand Escalier, Vue intérieure

Photograph
1864-1867 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The new Opéra in Paris was designed by Charles Garnier and constructed between 1861 and 1875. Its highly decorated Neo-Baroque style perfectly reflected the confidence and grandeur typical of Parisian architecture at this time. Louis-Emile Durandelle specialised in photographs of construction and industry during this period of intense activity in Paris. This photograph is one of a series that conveys the monumental task and manual effort involved in constructing the Opéra.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Grand Escalier, Vue intérieure (assigned by artist)
  • Grand Staircase, interior view (alternative title)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print from collodion negative
Brief description
Photograph by Delmaet and Durandelle, 'Grand Escalier, Vue intérieure' [Grand Staircase, interior view], 1 of 47 photographs recording the construction and decoration of the Palais Garnier, albumen print from collodion negative, Paris, 1864-1867
Physical description
A photograph depicting an interior view of the construction of the Grand Staircase in the Palais Garnier.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.4cm
  • Width: 28.7cm
Dimensions taken from Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1990
Marks and inscriptions
'Photographie de Delmaet & Durandelle, 22, Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, Portraits et reproductions' (Stamped)
Gallery label
  • The new Opéra in Paris was designed by Charles Garnier and constructed between 1861 and 1875. This photograph is one of a series that conveys the monumental task and manual effort involved in constructing the elaborately decorated architecture. Durandelle specialised in photographs of construction and industry during this period of intense building activity in Paris. (10/2012)
  • Gallery 100, ‘History of photography’, 2012-2013, label texts : Louis-Emile Durandelle (1838 – 1917) ‘Grand Staircase, Interior View’ 1867 The new Opéra in Paris was designed by Charles Garnier and constructed between 1861 and 1875. This photograph is one of a series that conveys the monumental task and manual effort involved in constructing the elaborately decorated architecture. Durandelle specialised in photographs of construction and industry during this period of intense building activity in Paris. Albumen print Museum no. E.2345-1990 (11 03 2014)
Object history
Louis-Emile Durandelle photographed the stages of construction of the new opera house in Paris. The Opéra was designed by Charles Garnier and built between 1861 and 1874. Durandelle’s series of images show the façade as a whole, the stone masons at work and studies of their decorative chisel-work.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
The new Opéra in Paris was designed by Charles Garnier and constructed between 1861 and 1875. Its highly decorated Neo-Baroque style perfectly reflected the confidence and grandeur typical of Parisian architecture at this time. Louis-Emile Durandelle specialised in photographs of construction and industry during this period of intense activity in Paris. This photograph is one of a series that conveys the monumental task and manual effort involved in constructing the Opéra.
Bibliographic references
  • Desjours, Jean. Le grand oeuvre: photographies des grands travaux: 1860-1900. Paris: Centre national de la photographie, 1984.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1990
Collection
Accession number
E.2345-1990

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2009
Record URL
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