The Bridge of Palalda (near Amelieles-Bains)

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

In 1851, Gustave Le Gray and his friend, photographer Auguste Mestral, traveled throughout southwestern France for the Commission of Historic French Monuments to document sites of historical importance, especially those in urgent need of, or undergoing, restoration. This image was taken from the left bank of the Tech River, situated below the old town of Palalda, four miles from the Spanish border. Le Gray stressed the rugged landscape over a close-up rendering of the ancient bridge, which was not on his list of assigned sites. The sheer cliff seems to blend into the bridge mentioned in the work's title, resulting in visual uncertainty and spatial tension.