The Floods of 1856, Church of Saint-Pothin, Lyon

Art Historical Context

In June 1856, the Rhône and Saône rivers unleashed devastating floods on Lyon, France, submerging streets and historic landmarks in murky waters. French photographer Édouard Baldus captured this dramatic moment in *The Floods of 1856, Church of Saint-Pothin, Lyon*, a salted paper print measuring 32.5 x 43.5 cm. Baldus, renowned for his precise architectural photography during the 1850s, immortalized the resilient Church of Saint-Pothin rising amid the chaos, its stone facade partially engulfed, offering a poignant testament to nature's power and human endurance. This image exemplifies Baldus's mastery of early calotype processes, using a paper negative to produce the salted paper print—a technique prized for its soft tonal range and rich detail in highlights and shadows. As one of the era's leading photographers, Baldus documented France's architectural heritage for government commissions, blending documentary realism with artistic composition. His work elevated photography from mere record-keeping to fine art. Held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Photographs Department, this print highlights the cultural role of 19th-century photography in chronicling disasters, preserving fleeting events for posterity and reminding us of Lyon's vulnerable beauty.

About the Artist

Edouard Baldus · 1813–1889

Édouard-Denis Baldus (1813–1889), born in Grünebach, Prussia, moved to Paris in 1838 at age twenty-five to study painting outside the École des Beaux-Arts and atelier system. Trained initially as a painter, draughtsman, and lithographer, he exhibited at the Paris Salons from 1841 to 1851 without notable recognition. Around 1849, Baldus pivoted to photography, embracing William Henry Fox Talbot's p...