By the end of the 18th century, overcrowded cemeteries in Paris had become a medical problem and city officials began to use the catacombs beneath the streets as a massive burial ground. They were opened to the public and artists soon followed, generating a new interest in the macabre. Although the prefect of Paris officially closed the catacombs to the public in 1830, lovers of the bizarre periodically gained access to the subterranean vaults. Known primarily for his portraiture, Nadar made this photograph of the ghoulish decor with an artificial light of his own design, an early arc lamp known as a Serrin Regulator. Nadar, 1861 (cropped and cleaned). | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Science Source |
Taille de l’image : | 3427 px × 4200 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |