[La Comtesse at Table with Hand to Face] 1860s

Pierre-Louis Pierson made this albumen silver print of a countess in France sometime in the mid-19th century. Pierson’s portrait studio became a space of collaboration and social encounter, especially after he formed a close partnership with the Countess de Castiglione. This oval portrait exemplifies the conventions of the time, particularly in its delicate rendering of textures and fabrics, and its idealization of feminine beauty. The countess appears to embody a languid aristocratic ennui, seemingly uninterested in being observed. Here, the photograph may be seen to reinforce existing social hierarchies and gender roles, even if photography was still a relatively new and potentially democratizing medium at the time. Art historians look at visual and documentary evidence to help contextualize images like this one. Tracing the biographies of both the artist and the sitter, and researching the history of photographic studios, enables us to understand how photography was used to negotiate social status and construct individual identity.