Architectural Elements in a Sculptor’s Studio, Marseille
Adolphe Terris French
Not on view
This arresting blueprint depicts ornamental architectural elements displayed in a sculpture workshop in Marseille. The picture’s central focus—perhaps a decorative pediment—was undoubtedly destined for one of the many large-scale construction projects undertaken by the city beginning in the 1860s. This brightly lit detail stands out like a beacon against the cerulean field, lending the photograph a strikingly modern appearance. Such pictorial drama belies the image’s original purpose. The photographer, Adolphe Terris, was hired to document the transformation of Marseille’s built environment. Terris likely made the print, which was originally part of a string-bound folio, as a reference for one of the architects assigned to the public works.
