Figure 1.--Here we see what looks like a grandmother reading to her grandson. They are unidentified. The boy is wearing what looks like a dark collar-buttoning jacket, narrow collar, and white shortened-length pants with socks. He looks to be a about 6 years old. The portrait is undated, but based on the clothes and 1850-58 awards on the back would have been taken in 1859 or very early-60s. Notuce that the convention of adding the studio to the front had not yet appeared.

Using negatives and paper essentially created the modern low-cost photogrph. There were two primary commercial albumen processes: carte-de-visites and cabinet cards. Both were primarily, but not exclusively taken in studios. The carte-de-visite (CDV) like the Daguerreotype was invented in France. As the name suggests, the origins of the carte-de-viste (CDV) using a negative process was French (1851). Another source indicates that a French photographer, André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, introduced the CDV (1854). We do not, however, begin to see many actual examples until the end of the decade. Unlike Daguerreotypes, we have found large numbers of French CDVs, although not until the 1860s. We are unsure why they did not become more popular in the 1850s when they first appeared. CDVs of Emperor Napoleon III helped popularize the CDV. Large numbers of people wanted one for their albums. Unlike the early formts. Copies could be mass produced from a sinle negative. In an era before movies, television, and even lithougraphy, the public had an untapped interest in imageryu, seeing not only familiy memnbers, but important figures as well. The major reason for the popularity of CDVs was low cost family portaits, but inexpensice photographs of famous people were much in demand. The CDV was the primary type in the 1860s-80s, but we also see a few cabinet cards. We note large numbers of CDVs that look similar to American and other European CDVs. We are not yet sure about cabinet cards as we have so few examples. The cabinet card appeared in America (1866). We do not know when they first appeared in France. The CDV seems to have been much more popular in France than the cabinet card. We are as a result, not yet able to develop trends in French cabinet cards. We do not know why cabinet cards proved less popular in France and other European countries than in America. We do note cabinet cards being done as late as 1940. They disappeared earlier in other countries. We do not see them after World War II.

CDVs

The carte-de-visite (CDV) like the Daguerreotype was invented in France. As the name suggests, the origins of the carte-de-viste (CDV) using a negative process was French (1851). Another source indicates that a French photographer, André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, introduced the CDV (1854). We do not, however, begin to see many actual examples until the end of the decade. Unlike Daguerreotypes, we have found large numbers of French CDVs, although not until the 1860s. We are unsure why they did not become more popular in the 1850s when they first appeared. CDVs of Emperor Napoleon III helped popularize the CDV. Large numbers of people wanted one for their albums. Unlike the early formts. Copies could be mass produced from a sinle negative. In an era before movies, television, and even lithougraphy, the public had an untapped interest in imageryu, seeing not only familiy memnbers, but important figures as well. The major reason for the popularity of CDVs was low cost family portaits, but inexpensive photographs of famous people were much in demand. The CDV was the primary type in the 1860s-80s, but we also see a few cabinet cards.

Cabinet Cards

We note large numbers of CDVs that look similar to American and other European CDVs. We are not yet sure about cabinet cards as we have so few examples. The larger cabinet card appeared in America (1866). We do not know when they first appeared in France. And akso are not syre whu they were very slowto become popular. Unlike america, they were notan immedite success. The CDV seems to have been much more popular in France than the cabinet card until the 1890s. We are as a result, not yet able to develop trends in French cabinet cards. We do not know why cabinet cards proved less popular in France and other European countries than in America. We do note nunerous cabinet cards in the early-20th century as CDVs We contibue to see French cabinet cards into the inter-War era, although they were decining in popularity. We see cabinet cards being done as late as 1940. They disappeared earlier in other countries. We do not see them in France after World War II.

Created: 3:43 PM 8/13/2016
Last updated: 1:46 AM 9/13/2016