The Madame B Album c. 1870s

This album, by Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier, made use of photography, a relatively new process, combined with the craft of album making. At first glance, we see a sepia-toned photograph of a pastoral scene, but look closer. Note the applied birch branches, painted directly onto the paper. This combination of photographic and painterly methods brings attention to the album's materiality. This wasn't simply a book; it was a constructed object, demanding skilled handwork. In the 19th century, photography was becoming increasingly accessible, yet the creation of an album like this remained a bespoke activity. The artist's labor, both in carefully staging the photographs and embellishing them, speaks to the value placed on handcrafted, personalized objects. By emphasizing the layered making processes and the social context, we recognize "The Madame B Album" not just as a collection of images, but as a crafted artifact, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.