Among the most successful early French photographers, Édouard Baldus photographed the nation’s historic monuments and engineering achievements, from Roman antiquities and gothic cathedrals to modern viaducts and railroad stations. His interests in landscape and architecture converged on a trip through central France in 1854, including at the pilgrimage church of Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe (Saint Michael of the Needle), a 10th-century chapel, expanded in the 12th century, that sits improbably atop an ancient volcanic chimney. Here, nature’s wonders, human faith and ingenuity, and the photographer’s skill and vision combine with dramatic effect.