Portret van Jean-Baptiste Faure als Hamlet before 1873

Charles Reutlinger created this photograph of Jean-Baptiste Faure as Hamlet in France, though the date is unknown. It's a carte de visite, likely from the late 1860s or 1870s, when such celebrity portraits were extremely popular. The image is more than a simple documentation of a stage role, though. It participates in the 19th-century cult of the celebrity performer, fueled by new print media and photography. Faure, a renowned baritone opera singer, gained fame playing Hamlet in Ambroise Thomas’ opera. Here, the photograph of him is framed by theatrical motifs and published in a magazine about Parisian Theatre. This image reflects the rising status of actors and singers in French society, a phenomenon linked to industrial capitalism and the growth of mass entertainment. Publications of the time, box office records, and critical reviews can offer an insight into Faure’s career and the image of Hamlet he cultivated. In short, this is a valuable document for understanding the interrelationship between theatre, celebrity culture, and visual media in 19th-century France.