Artwork Page for Monsieur Merlen

Details / Information for Monsieur Merlen

Monsieur Merlen

1861

André Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri

(French, 1819–1889)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
albumen print from wet collodion negative, uncut carte-de-visite proof print
Measurements
Image: 19.9 x 23.1 cm (7 13/16 x 9 1/8 in.); Matted: 35.6 x 45.7 cm (14 x 18 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Paula and Robert Hershkowitz in memory of Sam Wagstaff 1995.179
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
230 Photography
Print
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Did You Know?

The carte-de-visite process was so inexpensive, Monsieur Merlen felt he could clown around, riding a child's toy horse in the first two exposures.

Description

The carte-de-visite, a small photograph mounted on card stock, was patented by André Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri in 1854. This efficient, inexpensive process employed a camera with four lenses and a sliding plate holder that produced eight sequential exposures on a single glass negative. The resulting paper print was cut into individual images. This uncut sheet, which includes several humorous views, was probably produced for the sitter’s approval. The low cost of the carte-de-visite led to the trend of collecting celebrity portraits. By 1862, Disdéri’s studio was producing over 2,000 prints a day, making him reputedly the world’s richest photographer.
Two rows of four albumen photographs depict a bearded man in a dark suit. In the top row, he sits wearing a top hat and holding a cane in the first two frames, then reads at a table. In the bottom row, he stands by an ornate metal railing, first reading a book and then looking forward. Each frame features decorative studio props in muted brown tones.

Monsieur Merlen

1861

André Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri

(French, 1819–1889)
France, 19th century

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