The Madame B Album c. 1870s

Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier made “The Madame B Album” with graphite and watercolor, likely in France, during the latter half of the 19th century. Fournier produced the album during a time of profound shifts in French society and culture, especially relating to the institutionalization of photography. The rise of photography in the 19th century presented both opportunities and challenges to the traditional art world. As photography became more accessible and affordable, it disrupted established hierarchies and raised questions about the definition of art itself. In this context, artists experimented with combining photography and painting, integrating photographic prints into painted compositions. Fournier’s album reflects this hybrid approach, incorporating photographic portraits of family members within elaborate painted frames. We might view this as a way of domesticating the new medium, bringing it into the realm of family history. To fully understand the significance of albums like this one, scholars rely on research materials such as family papers, social histories, and museum archives.