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The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Honoring Juan Laurent on His 200th Birthday

Juan Laurent (1816–1886) is a preeminent figure in the history of Spanish photography. The Gallery's department of image collections presents a selection of rare albumen photographs and two albums by Laurent and his company, with particular focus on his photographs of Spanish art and architecture. Through the successful commercialization of Laurent's excellent archive of photographs of historic monuments and city views, as well as through his reproductions of works of art from the Museo del Prado and the Royal Palace in Madrid, Laurent became the most important and recognizable trade photographer in 19th-century Spain. His city views include Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, Valladolid, Sevilla, Madrid, El Escorial, Barcelona, Elche, Granada, Burgos, and Valencia.

This feature presents the photographs from the exhibition held in the East Building Study Center in 2011 (slides 1–29),  plus additional selections from the more than 660 photographs by Juan Laurent or his successors that are in the department of image collections. Unless otherwise indicated, all images are by Juan Laurent and are albumen silver prints made from collodion glass negatives; dates are those of the collodion negatives. For the full records of the photographs, click the highlighted links in the captions of the images in the slide show.

The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Entrance to Toledo by way of the Alcántara Bridge, c. 1864–1870
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Roman Aqueduct, Segovia, c. 1856–1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Plaza de la Constitución, Valencia, 1870
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Facade of the University, Salamanca, 1878
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Lower part of the facade of the Monastery of San Pablo, Valladolid, c. 1875
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The University, Valladolid, c. 1865
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

General view of the Cathedral from the Alcázar, Seville, c. 1866
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

El Giraldillo, Seville, c. 1866
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

View of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial from the reservoir, c. 1876
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Sacristy of the Royal Monastery of Saint Lawrence of El Escorial, c. 1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

General view of the Puerta del Sol, Madrid, 1862
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

General interior view of the new bullring, Madrid, c. 1874
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

North Station, Barcelona (Zaragoza to Pamplona and Barcelona Railway), c. 1864–1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Tower of Rapsamblanc of Mr. Conde de Luna, Elche, Alicante, 1870
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Rear or niche of the gallery leading to the Hall of the Ambassadors, Alhambra, Granada, 1871
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Interior of the gallery and west pavilion of the Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada, 1871
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Mullioned windows of the Hall of the Two Sisters, Alhambra, Granada, c. 1874
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Vertumnus as a Fisherman, c. 1879
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

J. Lacoste, Emperor Charles V at Mühlberg by Titian, albumen silver print from gelatin dry plate negative, 1900–1915
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Helmet with gorget of Philip III, made in Pamplona, 1863–1868
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Arab vase of the Alhambra, Granada, 1872–1878
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Harvesters, Córdoba, before 1871
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Young girl with a guitar, Córdoba, before 1871
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Saint Mary City Gate, Burgos, c. 1863
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Gate of Pardon, Seville, c. 1866
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Interior of the Great Mosque or Cathedral, Córdoba, c. 1866–1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Interior of the Mihrab or Sanctuary of the Great Mosque, Córdoba, c. 1896
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Cibeles Fountain, Madrid, c. 1875, collodion glass negative by the Soule (later Gramstorff) Art Publishing Company, Boston, 1880s
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Cibeles Fountain, Madrid, c. 1875, uncropped positive view of collodion negative (28), modern inkjet print from digital scan
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Panorama of Toledo from the Virgen del Valle, c. 1872, album foldout printed from six
collodion glass negatives
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Panorama of Toledo from the Virgen del Valle, c. 1872, first section of the album foldout
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Panorama of Toledo from the Virgen del Valle, c. 1872, second section of the album foldout
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Panorama of Toledo from the Virgen del Valle, c. 1872, third section of the album foldout
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Panorama of Toledo from the Virgen del Valle, c. 1872, fourth section of the album foldout
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Main staircase of the Alcázar, Toledo, 1872–1879
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Anonymous photographer, Partial panoramic view, Toledo, 1950s or 1960s, postcard published by Heliotipia Artística Española, Madrid (Irwin Hurwitz Rare Postcard Collection)
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Puerta del Sol, Toledo, 1866–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The main facade of the Cathedral, Toledo, 1867–1872
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Puerta de los Leones of the Cathedral, 1867–1872
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Palace of Samuel Levi, Toledo, 1867–1872
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Exterior of the Audiencia, Barcelona, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Staircase of a private home on Montcada Street, Barcelona, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The shoemakers’ guild house, Barcelona, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Lonja, Zaragoza, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Arch of Barà, Tarragona, 1866–1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Interior of the Lonja de la Seda, 1870
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Casa del Cordón, Burgos, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

The Sarmental Entrance of the Cathedral, 1856–1867
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Detail of the courtyard of San Gregorio, Valladolid, 1860–1879
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

City hall, Valladolid, 1860–1879
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Facade of the Cathedral, Ávila, 1864
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

View from the south, Ronda, 1879
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Alcázar, courtyard of the Doncellas, entrance to the hall of Charles V, Sevilla, c. 1872
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Interior of the Provincial Museum, Burgos, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Palace of El Escorial. The See-saw, 1860–1886, tapestry designed by Francisco Goya
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Palace of El Escorial, Promenade in Andalusia, 1860–1886, tapestry designed by Francisco Goya
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Museo Nacional del Prado, Vision of Saint Francis in the Porciúncula Chapel, 1860–1886, painting by Bartolomé Murillo
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Monastery of Las Huelgas, Burgos, Banner taken by Alphonse VIII at the Battle of las Navas in 1212, 1860–1886
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Museo Nacional del Prado, Onyx cup with a gold mermaid, c. 1879, from the Treasure of the Dauphin
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Museo Nacional del Prado, Rock crystal jar with little boys and a serpent handle, c. 1879, from the Treasure of the Dauphin
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Museo Nacional del Prado, Rock crystal ewer with a bird-head spout, c. 1879, from the Treasure of the Dauphin
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Bohemians or gypsies, Granada (d’après nature), before 1871
The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent’s Vision of Spain

Natives of Quero, Toledo, 1878

Click on a slide above to view a larger image and detailed description (63 images total)

The Solemnity of Shadows: Juan Laurent's Vision of Spain

Juan Laurent biography

Spanish railway map, c. 1920

Archivo Ruiz Vernacci

A223  A286  A287

Bibliography