Mlle Perolie; Elise Parent 1861

André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri created this photographic album page, "Mlle Perolie; Elise Parent," using albumen silver prints sometime in the mid-19th century. Disdéri, a prominent photographer during the Second Empire in France, operated in a society undergoing massive cultural shifts, including the rise of celebrity culture and the increasing commodification of art. In this piece, we see multiple portraits of a dancer, Elise Parent, likely depicting her in costume for a performance. The photographs capture her in various poses, both draped and in her tutu, offering us different facets of her identity as a performer. The very act of photographing and distributing images of performers like Parent reflects a changing relationship between the public and those who occupied the stage. The image serves as a poignant reminder of the historical and social forces that shape the construction and perception of identity, and also highlights the emotional and personal dimensions inherent within the world of performance.