Mlle Rousseau dans le Diable à quatre 1862

This is André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri's undated photograph, "Mlle Rousseau dans le Diable à quatre", preserved in an album page. It gives us a glimpse into the world of 19th-century ballet and photographic portraiture. Disdéri, a key figure in popularizing the carte-de-visite, captures Mademoiselle Rousseau in a series of poses from "Le Diable à Quatre." The ballet itself, a lighthearted comedy, offered a stage for dancers to express narratives of love and mischief. Rousseau, adorned in a delicate tutu and tiara, embodies the romantic ideal of the ballerina, a figure both ethereal and virtuosic. The multiple exposures on a single print are characteristic of Disdéri's innovative approach, creating a sense of movement. What does it mean to capture and contain the image of a female dancer for popular consumption? Disdéri presents the ballerina for the male gaze, yet Rousseau's confident poses push back. Ultimately, this photograph reflects the complex negotiations of gender, performance, and representation in the 19th century. It invites us to reflect on the ephemeral nature of performance, preserved through the relatively new medium of photography.