Portret van Napoleon III Bonaparte, keizer van Frankrijk 1865 - 1873

This is a photograph of Napoleon III, Emperor of France, made by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri sometime in the mid-19th century. Disdéri was a savvy businessman and portrait photographer and this image gives us some clues about the social and institutional conditions that helped him succeed. The small size of the photo and the multiple exposures on a single plate were key to Disdéri’s marketing strategy. Patented in 1854, this format, known as the carte de visite, democratized portraiture. Before this, only the wealthy could afford to have their portraits painted but with Disdéri’s invention, even the middle classes could collect images of themselves and celebrities like Napoleon III. Consider the public role of photography at this time. Was it simply a tool for documentation, or did it contribute to the construction of celebrity and social status? Historians might research census records, business records, or even fashion magazines to better understand the carte de visite craze. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.