Le Grand Russe 1860s

This is Pierre-Louis Pierson’s photograph, titled “Le Grand Russe.” Pierson worked closely with the Countess de Castiglione, a celebrated beauty and scandalous figure in the court of Napoleon III. Here, the Countess adopts a masculine guise, playing with gender and national identity, which was both radical and attention-grabbing in Second Empire France. The "Russian" costume, while likely more theatrical than authentic, evokes an exotic allure, playing into orientalist fascinations of the era. It’s important to remember that photography in the 19th century was still a relatively new medium, offering a unique way to construct and perform identity. The Countess, through Pierson's lens, uses this to her advantage, challenging societal norms and asserting her own agency. The image evokes questions about how we perform our identities and the roles we choose to play. It acts as a mirror reflecting the complexities of gender, power, and representation.