Restoration of the House – Photo Gallery

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The House restoration

In 1999, Pierre-Yves Mahé, founder of Spéos photographic school, rented on the Gras estate,the part of the house where Niépce had located his laboratory-workshop in Saint-Loup de Varennes.
Pierre-Yves Mahe was the first photographer to occupy the place since the inventor’s death in 1833.The historical residence had remained unexplored until then,just gazed at from outside by some curious people.
With Jean-Louis Marignier,a scientist at the CNRS (French National Center of Scientific Research), they recreated Niépce’s working conditions,and with methodical diggings they rediscovered the site of his experiments.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Jean-Louis Marignier, Bernard and Eric Dodard comparing a lithograph by Isidore (?) with a photograph taken in 1850 by Petiot-Groffier …

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Uncovering of the original floor in Niépce’s workshop.

© Jean-Louis MARIGNIER/Speos.fr

Pierre-Yves Mahé looking for traces of the shift of the window from which was taken the world first photography.

© Jean-Louis MARIGNIER/Speos.fr

Bernard Wala , cabinetmaker and restorer, uncovering the floors from Niépce’s time.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Bernard Wala, cabinetmaker and restorer, unhinging one of the doors from Niepce’s house for dating.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Traces in the walls showing many different fitting out at different periods of time.

© Jean-Louis MARIGNIER/Speos.fr

Taking of samples from different mortars to be analyzed in the Medieval Studies center in Auxerre (CNRS).

© Jean-Louis MARIGNIER/Speos.fr

Pieces of wood testifying of the modifications brought to the position of the window from which were taken the world first photographs.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Dating of wood pieces coming from Niepce’s house (Dendrochronology lab.CNRS Besançon)

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Searching the well where Niepce used to draw water for his experiments, using maps of the house drawned in 1775 and 1830.

© Jean-Louis MARIGNIER/Speos.fr

First reopening of the well where Niepce drew the water he used to wash his heliographs…

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Research and identification of the whole irrigation system of the Gras (dating 1750).

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Locating the position of the well where Niepce was drawing the water he used in his experiments.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Discovery of old floors posterior to Niepce (around 1870).

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Patrick Barbottin observing modifications made to the walls of the house tower.

© Pierre-Yves MAHE/Speos.fr

Christopher Davies, camerama, filmed the integral research on Niepce’s house (Here in the Dendrochronology lab.in Besançon).