Elise Parent; Laura Fonta; Le jeune [illegible] 1863

André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri created this photographic print titled "Elise Parent; Laura Fonta; Le jeune [illegible]" sometime in the mid-19th century. At first glance, the ordered arrangement of multiple exposures gives a sense of structured repetition, while the warm sepia tones evoke nostalgia, characteristic of early photographic processes. Each individual frame presents a portrait, but the serial presentation invites us to consider the photograph's structure. Disdéri's use of the carte de visite format, popularized by him, enabled mass production and distribution, thereby democratizing portraiture. In each frame, the subjects are posed formally against a neutral backdrop, their clothing and posture indicative of social status and cultural norms. The repetition creates a sense of a grid, a structure which calls attention to the ways in which these images both conform to and subtly deviate from established norms. This work challenges the notion of a unique, singular image. By embracing reproducibility, Disdéri opened the door for photography to become a tool for documenting and shaping cultural identity.