Portret van Blanche Toutain before 1902

This is Nadar’s portrait of Blanche Toutain, reproduced in an issue of the Belgian periodical, La Libre Critique. The magazine provided commentary on politics, theater and the arts. Here, we see how photography became institutionalized, not just through art galleries or public collections, but through journalism and the press. This portrait is not simply of an individual, but of a member of the Théâtre de la Vanderburch, a representative of Belgian culture and art. The portrait is carefully framed by an art nouveau border to emphasize this cultural context, and it is juxtaposed with advertisements for pianos and wines, as well as other cultural products. La Libre Critique thus represents a fascinating institutional nexus of art, journalism, commerce, and social life. To understand this portrait better, one might consult archives of the Belgian press or theater. In doing so, we see how art is always embedded in complex social and institutional contexts.