[Duchesse d'Albe, Unknown Sitter, Duchesse de Morny, and Duc de Morny] 1855 - 1865

These four photographs, captured by Pierre-Louis Pierson, present us with a study in contrasts and societal roles through the structured format of portraiture. Each image, framed individually, captures a distinct presence, yet together they create a unified composition. Notice how Pierson uses light and shadow to sculpt the figures, drawing our eyes to the sitters. The composition of each portrait is carefully arranged; the subjects are placed to convey status, personality, and social roles. Do the dark and heavy fabrics of the lower left image evoke a different sense of character than the light, flowing gown in the upper right? The formal arrangement of these portraits mirrors the rigid social structures of the time. Placed together, these photographs offer not just individual likenesses, but also comment on the coded languages of class and identity in 19th-century society. Each element—clothing, pose, background—functions as a signifier within the semiotic system of aristocratic representation. This work, therefore, invites us to consider how photography both reflects and constructs our understanding of social identity.