Mlle Sanlaville dans l'Africaine 1865

This carte de visite, taken by renowned photographer André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri in 1865, features the actress Mlle Sanlaville in her costume for the opera *L'Africaine*. The image, part of a six-image sequence, captures Sanlaville in a variety of poses, showcasing her theatrical talent and the grandeur of her costume. Disdéri’s innovative portraiture techniques and the popularity of carte de visite photography in the mid-19th century helped to make this image of a celebrated actress a popular collectible. *L'Africaine*, an opera composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer, premiered in 1865 and tells the story of a doomed romance between a Portuguese explorer and an African princess.