The Madame B Album c. 1870s

Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier created "The Madame B Album" using albumen print and applied color in the 19th century. Here, portraits are arranged in a diamond, framed by a wave pattern connecting red and blue circles. This configuration is reminiscent of family trees, symbolizing lineage. This arrangement echoes the symbolic configurations of Renaissance family portraits in paintings, where the placement of individuals reflects their roles and relationships within the family structure. This wave pattern, connecting the figures, isn't new; its undulating form can be traced back to ancient Greek art, where it represented the flow of life, or "the river of life". The use of red and blue to frame the portraits could hint at vitality and depth. It’s fascinating how Fournier taps into our collective memory, engaging us on a subconscious level. Symbols persist, but evolve. The Madame B Album demonstrates the enduring human need to map our connections, presenting family ties through a carefully constructed visual language.