Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Detail of the Cloister Arcade, Le Puy

For this image, the artist generated a bold composition, concentrating on one complete span of an arch, with portions of adjacent ones. The dark voids between the columns emphasize architectural geometry and create a dynamic play between light and shadow. Gustave Le Gray was one of five artists who were part of the Mission Héliographic, a photographic initiative of France’s Historic Monuments Commission. They were sent out with itineraries all over France, starting in 1851, to photograph landmarks and monuments in need of restoration. Le Gray spent several days focusing on the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral of Notre-Dame in the southern city of Le Puy, with its distinctive cloister arcade seen here.