Pont del Diable or Roman aqueduct of Les Ferreres (Tarragona)

Vintage contact print developed from a glass negative. It was included in a photo album of the province of Tarragona that may have been among the donated pieces sent from the Museum of Tarragona to the National Archaeological Museum in 1871.
The photo shows the condition of the Roman aqueduct of Les Ferreres in Tarragona at the time. At its foot, a man and child in traditional costume give us an idea of the structure’s size.
Although the photo identifies Laurent as its author, the real photographer may have been Jules Ainaud, who worked on assignment for the Laurent firm from 1863 to 1896. We know that he was working as a photographer in Tarragona in 1871, and that he produced a catalogue of Tarragona for Laurent’s company in 1872.
Jules Ainaud’s photographs of monuments are characterised by the presence of human figures, included in his shots to convey the true scale of the structures, usually dressed in traditional costumes, a genre element that gives his scenes a more narrative rather than purely documentary feel.