November 2024
Album Horace Vernet front cover
30 cartes des visite
16cm high x 11cm wide x 3.5cm deep
I purchased this small photo album from an op shop (charity shop) in Melbourne, Australia.
It features 29 carte de visite by the French firm Goupil & Cie of the paintings of the French history painter Horace Vernet (1789-1863) – painter of battles, portraits, and Orientalist and modern national subjects.
“The Universal Exposition of 1855, at which he was represented by twenty-four paintings, crowned his popular and official success. His reputation among artists and critics, on the other hand, was not uncontested. Baudelaire scathingly referred to him as “un militaire qui fait de la peinture,” and while his painstaking factuality and the sheer magnitude of his production commanded respect, the prosy shallowness of his realism, his stylistic banality, and the stridency of his chauvinism were early noted and contributed to the eventual neglect of his work. At the time of his death in 1863, Vernet, a member of thirty academies, was nevertheless France’s most famous artist, admired and imitated throughout Europe and deeply imbedded in popular culture.”1
The only photograph not by Goupil & Cie in the whole album is the second photograph in the album, a portrait of the painter by Bingham (Robert Jefferson Bingham, English 1825-1870). The photograph can be dated to between 1861 when Bingham’s photographic studio in Paris was at Rue de la Rochefoucauld and 1863 when Vernet died. This also helps date the compilation of the whole album.
Dr Marcus Bunyan
1/ Anonymous. “Horace Vernet,” on the National Gallery of Art website Nd [Online] Cited 13/10/2024
Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.
PLEASE NOTE: the photographs appear in the posting in the order they appear in the album.
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) The Studio of Horace Vernet (Interieur d un Atelier) 1824
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie was at Boulevard Montmartre between the 1850s-1880s
Bingham (photographer) Robert Jefferson Bingham (English, 1825-1870)
Photographie De S.M. La Reine D’Angleterre
Medaille de 1ere Classe 1855
58 Rue de Larochefoucualt, Paris
Portrait of Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
1861-1863
Carte de visite
Operated at Rue de la Rochefoucauld, 58 from 1861 until 1870.
Born in 1825 near Leicester in England, Bingham had a background in chemistry. He was particularly interested in photographic processes, and published a treatise on this subject in 1848. He later became the first writer to outline the possible use of collodion in photographs and the self-proclaimed ‘Inventeur du procédé collodion’. Bingham first exhibited his photographs of landscapes and of copies of paintings in London at The Great Exhibition in 1851. In 1859 he established a photographic portrait studio in Paris, which thrived throughout the 1860s and continued under his name even after his death in Brussels in 1870.
Text from the National Portrait Gallery website
Bingham also made photographs of the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris. His ability to take some 2500 photographs at relatively high speeds on this occasion encouraged other photographers to use the collodion process for their work as well, helping it become the most popular method from 1855 until about 1880. Henry Cole sent him at the same time to the Louvre to photograph the masterpieces of the museum collection. At some point in 1851 1855, or 1859, Bingham moved to Paris to work there as a photographer, at first together with the American Warren T. Thompson until Thompson returned to England in 1856. Bingham not only worked at the 1855 Exposition, but also displayed his own life-size portraits, for which he won a Medal First Class. Due to a lack of commercial success, however, he soon stopped producing these huge photographs and stuck to more standard formats.
His work at the Louvre inspired him to make photographic portraiture a commercial enterprise, and in 1857 he opened his new atelier in the Nouvelle Athènes quarter of Paris, one of the hotspots of artistic activity at the time. He became friends with many artists, photographing them and their works, and started on a new project, a photographic collection of the works of the recently deceased painter Paul Delaroche. Published in 1858, it was the first photographic catalogue raisonné. It was followed over the next few years by similar works about other artists, including one in 1860 on Ary Scheffer and another one with photographs of the major works of the 1860 Salon. Smaller works with only a handful of photographs were produced for particular collections and for the Napoleon Museum in Amiens.
Anonymous. “Robert Jefferson Bingham,” on the Wikipedia website
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Battle near Vitebsk 1812
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Napoleon Bonaparte leading his troops over the bridge of Arcole 1826
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) La Barrière de Clichy. Défense de Paris, March 30, 1814
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Napoleon reviewing the Guard in the place du Carrousel, c. 1841-1842
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Napoleon bids farewell to his Guard at Fontainebleau on 20 April 1814 (1824)
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) The Lion Hunt 1836
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789–1863) Chasse Aux Sangliers dans la Plaine de Sahara (Wild Boar Hunting in the Sahara Plain) 1838
c. 1860-1863
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Unknown title Nd
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789–1863) Le Giaour, vainqueur d’Hassan (The Giaour conquers Hassan) c. 1827
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Le Giaour, vainqueur d’Hassan
c. 1827
Oil on canvas
25 5/8 x 21 in. (65 x 54cm)
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Cavalier arabe, dit aussi ‘La Retraite’ (Arabian horseman, also called ‘The Retreat’) 1839
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Cavalier arabe, dit aussi ‘La Retraite’
1839
Oil on panel
40.8 x 33.5cm (16 x 13 1/4 in.)
Purchased or commissioned by Baron Jean-Conrad Hottinguer (1803-1866) and paid by him to Vernet in 1840; then collection of Baroness Hottinguer, in 1874
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Louis-Philippe, accompagné de ses fils, sortant à cheval du château de Versailles (King Louis-Philippe escorted by his sons leaving Versailles on June 10, 1837) 1846
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visit
Horace Vernet (French, 1789–1863)
Louis-Philippe, accompagné de ses fils, sortant à cheval du château de Versailles (King Louis-Philippe escorted by his sons leaving Versailles on June 10, 1837)
1846
Oil on canvas
Height: 368cm
Width: 397.5cm
Musée national du Château de Versailles
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Judith and Holofernes 1829
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Judith with the head of Holofernes Nd
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Rebecca and Eleazar at the well (1835, now lost)
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Pie VIII porté dans la basilique de Saint-Pierre à Rome (Pius VIII brought to the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome) 1829
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Pie VIII porté dans la basilique de Saint-Pierre à Rome (Pius VIII brought to the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome)
1829
Oil on canvas
Height: 385cm (12.6 ft)
Width: 329cm (10.7 ft)
Museum of the History of France
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Repudiation Of Hagar 1837
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Le Marché d’esclaves (Slave market) 1836
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Le Marché d’esclaves (Slave market)
1836
Oil on canvas
Height: 65cm (25.5 in)
Width: 54cm (21.2 in)
Alte Nationalgalerie
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) An Algerian Lady Hawking 1839
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Châtelaine partant pour la chasse (Chatelaine leaving for the hunt) 1840
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Bonaparte after the Battle of Bassano 1848
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) The Arab Tale-teller 1833
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Joseph’s Coat 1853
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Première messe en Kabylie (First mass in Kabylie) 1854
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Première messe en Kabylie (First mass in Kabylie)
1854
Oil on canvas
Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Daniel dans la fosse aux lions (Daniel in the Lions’ Den) 1857
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Mountain Hunters Nd
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Le Zouave trappiste (The Trappist Zouave) 1856
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) Zouaves at the Malakoff 1856
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863)
Zouaves at the Malakoff
1856
Oil on canvas
Height: 39.7cm (15.6 in)
Width: 33.9cm (13.3 in)
Royal Collection
Public domain
Goupil & Cie (photographer), Paris 19, Boulevard Montmartre
London, La Haye, Berlin, New York
After a painting by Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) The scene of war 1861
c. 1860-1863
Carte de visite
Album Horace Vernet back cover
30 cartes des visite
16cm high x 11cm wide x 3.5cm deep