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Home>Research>Library>Image Collections>The Solemnity of Shadows

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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 sixcollodion 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

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