Frozen in Time: Notre-Dame and Early Photography

By Amanda Saris

Most of us experienced the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame through images, both photographs and videos taken and shared by ordinary people and the news media. Photography has been used as a form of documentation since its invention in the late 19th century and many early photographers captured pictures of the cathedral. They used the new technology to document the transformation of the building from its degraded state after the Revolution through its restoration in the 1840’s. Each of these images captures a moment in the history of the building.

Louis Daguerre, Notre-Dame and the Ile de la Cite, 1838.  Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The earliest photographs are known as daguerreotypes, after their inventor Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre. Basically a daguerreotype is a reflected image that has been copied onto a silvered copper plate. Daguerre introduced his invention to the public at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris and people took a liking to the idea of photography. It was the beginning of a new era. Though the process of producing daguerreotypes was expensive and tedious, many studios throughout the world began popping up. Along with the studios came new and improved techniques, allowing images to turn out clearer and more detailed.

Louis and Andre Breton, Notre-Dame, 1840.  Public Domain.

 One of the earliest photographs of Notre-Dame Cathedral was taken in 1840 by brothers Louis and Andre Breton. The wide-angle view allows us to see the apse, the south façade, and the towers of the west façade. There is evidence of blurred figures working in boats on the Seine river towards the bottom of the image. Daguerreotypes at that time were not able to produce images with people in them due to the long exposure times. With a long exposure time, any movement will be blurred, sometimes leaving no trace at all. The Breton brothers figured out a way to shorten their exposure time and so enabled figures to appear in their photo.

With the improvement of the daguerreotype process, came a demand for photographs. This demand came from professionals in various fields of work. City planners and architects especially took an interest. City planners used daguerreotypes to record the city as it progressed through time. It was a way to create a visual record of transforming streets as cities became more modern. Architects were intent on using daguerreotypes for two reasons: first, they wanted to be able to view historical monuments and take notes on the architecture. Daguerreotypes served as a visual reference, while an architect worked on their projects. Secondly, architects could hire photographers to create daguerreotypes of their completed projects. It was like creating their own portfolio or advertisement, which could then be used to show prospective clients

Notre-Dame spire under construction.  Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One architect of the era, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, commissioned artists to document the restoration process of Notre-Dame, beginning in 1843. There are daguerreotypes that date before, during, and after the repairs. These photographs provide clues as to the timeline of the restoration process. One focus for these photographs was the spire that Viollet-le-Duc designed for the cathedral. There are photographs of the spire in-progress and one by Charles Marville that shows the finished spire in full detail with the city of Paris in the background. There are many prints of this particular daguerreotype, which tells us that it was in high demand. Many people wanted to see this newest addition to Notre-Dame.

Charles Marville, Spire of Notre-Dame.  Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We can find many photographs that show us the 19th century transformation of Notre-Dame. In time, these photos may prove to be useful references for architects today who plan on restoring it after the 2019 fire. Whether it be photographs of the lead spire on the roof, or the famous gargoyles that are often associated with the cathedral, each photograph gives us valuable insight into the state of the building at the time. These historic images have frozen Notre-Dame forever in time. 

 

Sources:

Peter Barberie. “Charles Marville’s Seriality.” Record of the Art Museum, Princeton University 67, (2008): 30-45.

Brooke Bergan. “A Wedge in Time: The Poetics of Photography.” The Antioch Review48, no. 4 (Autumn 1990): 509-524.

Dany Sandron and Andrew Tallon. Notre Dame Cathedral Nine Centuries of History. University Park: The Pennsylvania University Press, 2013. Kindle.

William F. Stapp. “Early Attempts to Improve the Daguerreotype: Two plates in the Franklin Institute by J.F. Soleil and the Breton Freres.” Image 19, no. 1 (March 1976): 7-12.

Jan M. Ziolkowski. “Notre Dame: The Virgin in Nineteenth-Century France.” In The Juggler of Notre Dame and the Medievalizing of Modernity Book, 51-95. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 2018.