Portret van een vrouw aangeduid als Lavergne, reclame voor Orion W. Lemer 1895 - 1910

Charles Reutlinger created this photograph of a woman, identified as Lavergne, as an advertisement for Orion W. Lemer. The image is a window into the world of commercial photography in late 19th-century Paris, a period when photography became increasingly intertwined with advertising and the construction of celebrity. It is a cultural artifact, reflecting the growing consumer culture and the ways in which images were used to promote products and shape public desires. The sitter, Lavergne, likely an actress or model, becomes a symbol of Parisian elegance. The photograph invites us to consider the role of the photographer as a commercial agent and the model as a commodity within the burgeoning advertising industry. By looking into archives, we can better understand the relationship between art, commerce, and identity in modern urban life.