Orange: The Wall of the Théâtre antique, 1858

About the Work

The theatre in Orange was built during the Roman Empire. Known as the Sun King, Louis XIV considered this stage wall “the most beautiful wall in the kingdom”. From the nineteenth century onwards, performances were once again given before the backdrop of the théâtre antique. The photographer Baldus had fled from Germany to France in the 1830s, keeping his origins a secret. Official government commissions quickly made him France’s leading architectural photographer. His shots are distinguished particularly by his masterful handling of the light.