Photography as Art

Photography, invented in France, came of age during the Belle Époque. No longer merely documentary, it claimed status as art. Nadar (Gaspard-Félix Tournachon) photographed every cultural figure of note, his portraits revealing character through subtle lighting and pose. His photographs of Sarah Bernhardt in her coffin (she slept in one, claiming it helped her understand tragic roles) became iconic images of Romantic excess.

But photography also democratized portraiture. Where once only the wealthy could afford painted portraits, now shopgirls and clerks visited photography studios. The carte de visite—a small photographic calling card—became a social necessity. Studios sprouted on every boulevard, their windows displaying portraits that created a new visual democracy.

Women photographers carved out significant careers. Madame Yevonde pioneered color photography techniques. Jenny de Vasson documented Parisian street life with a sympathetic eye for the marginalized. The Séeberger brothers employed their sister Jules-Céline, whose fashion photography helped establish that genre.

The snapshot camera, introduced by Kodak in 1888, transformed photography from professional practice to popular hobby. "You press the button, we do the rest," promised the advertisements. Suddenly, ordinary people could document their own lives. Family albums filled with blurred but precious moments, creating private histories alongside official culture.