Sarah Bernhardt in "Zaire" by Voltaire

1874

Étienne Carjat

(French, 1828–1906)

Culture

France, 19th century

Medium

albumen print from wet collodion negative

Measurements

Image: 27.3 x 21.3 cm (10 3/4 x 8 3/8 in.); Matted: 50.8 x 40.6 cm (20 x 16 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 1996.245

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Location

230 Photography

Did You Know?

Photographer Étienne Carjat established his reputation through celebrity portraiture.

Description

Famed French actress Sarah Bernhardt is seen here as the star of Zaire, a play by the French author Voltaire first performed in 1732. The actress, who studied sculpture, exhibited work in the Paris Salon for the first time in 1874. She just missed being in the same show as Morisot, who exhibited regularly at the Salon from 1864 to 1873, but in 1874 decided instead to show in the first Impressionist exhibition. Édouard Manet produced many portraits of actresses and performers.