[Countess de Castiglione, from Série des Roses] 1895

This photograph, part of the "Série des Roses", was taken by Pierre-Louis Pierson, who captured the Countess de Castiglione in the mid-19th century. During the Second Empire in France, photography was becoming a powerful medium for constructing and manipulating identity, particularly for women in the public eye. The Countess, a celebrity of her time, collaborated closely with Pierson to craft a series of images that challenged conventional representations of women. Her elaborate costumes and poses reflect her agency in shaping her own narrative. By dressing as a rose, the Countess is playing with the common trope of women being compared to flowers, reclaiming this comparison for herself. This collaboration offered a space for both artist and subject to explore the performative aspects of gender and identity within the rigid social structures of the time. Consider how the Countess uses her image to challenge and subvert the traditional roles assigned to women, engaging with themes of beauty, power, and spectacle.