Victor Hugo (French novelist, playwright, and poet, 1802-1885) 1875 - 1876

This is a portrait photograph of French author Victor Hugo, created between 1875 and 1876 by the firm of Bertall et Cie. The photograph, now in the collection of The Art Institute of Chicago, captures Hugo standing in a studio setting, leaning on a chair. The image is rendered in a classic photographic style, emphasizing the realism of the subject, and the subject is depicted in a formal pose, reflecting his stature as a leading figure in 19th-century French literature.