Clara Pilvois 1862

André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri created this photographic album page, “Clara Pilvois,” using albumen silver print. The composition is striking in its structured repetition; eight nearly identical portraits of Clara Pilvois are arranged in a grid. Each image captures her in a similar pose, seated beside a small table, creating a rhythmic visual pattern. This mechanical reproduction, typical of Disdéri’s work, questions the singular aura of traditional portraiture. The sepia tones and the limited tonal range emphasize texture and form. Observe how the interplay of light and shadow defines the contours of her dress and the details of her features. Disdéri’s use of serial imagery challenges the notion of a unique, fixed representation. Instead, the work emphasizes multiplicity, suggesting that identity is not a singular construct, but a series of constructed representations. This repetition invites us to consider how meaning is created through seriality and the subtle variations within it, challenging conventional ideas about portraiture and representation.