Portret van Charles Monselet before 1879

This 19th-century portrait photograph titled “Portret van Charles Monselet” by Etienne Carjat depicts the French writer Charles Monselet. The photo is part of a larger album of portraits by Carjat, a prominent photographer known for his realistic style and focus on capturing his subjects’ personalities. The photo showcases Carjat’s signature technique of using a simple, dark background and focusing on the subject’s face and expression, resulting in a striking and intimate portrait. It is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.