Portret van François Certain de Canrobert 1869

This is a portrait of François Certain de Canrobert, made through photography by an anonymous artist. Photographs like this one were often produced as “cartes de visite,” small calling cards that exploded in popularity during the mid-nineteenth century. Photography, at this time, was a chemical process dependent on light-sensitive materials. The photographer carefully manipulated these chemicals, layering them onto glass plates to capture an image. When a picture was taken, it would appear as a negative on the plate which was then printed as a positive on paper. The carte-de-visite captured the likeness of individuals and fueled a burgeoning culture of celebrity, democratizing portraiture, once the exclusive domain of painting, and contributing to an emerging visual culture tied to mass production and circulation. The relatively low cost of production meant that more people could participate in this kind of image making, which allowed for greater visual representations of many people. Understanding the materials and social context of this photograph allows us to appreciate its wider cultural significance, beyond traditional art history.