Promenade in Malines

Louis-Pierre-Théophile Dubois de Nehaut

1854–56 · Salted paper print from glass negative · Photographs

Dubois de Nehaut had a particular fondness for railway stations, photographing them throughout Belgium and France. This image is an unprecedented attempt to capture movement for its own sake. The blurred outlines of the passing wagons are not to be construed as a technical flaw; rather, they are a novel expression of motion, here contrasted with the surrealistic stillness of the surrounding scene. A handwritten note on the mount states that the photograph was in fact taken by Pierre-Jean Maertens, Dubois de Nehaut's servant and photographic assistant. The photographer himself stands, hatless, on the right, conversing with the stationmaster, M. Carion, and an unidentified captain.

Artist

Louis-Pierre-Théophile Dubois de Nehaut

Date

1854–56

Medium

Salted paper print from glass negative

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gilman Collection, Gift of The Howard Gilman Foundation, 2005