DEVILS Les Diableries Tissue Stereos 1860s

Amongst the most amusing photographic efforts of the 1860s in France were the Les Diableries, a series of "tissue" (hold-to-light) stereographic photographs of satin in hell. Here are five images with different mounts. Edited details and description from wikipedia follows.

Les Diableries is the title of a series of stereoscopic photographs published in Paris during the 1860s. The photographs, commonly known as stereoviews portray vignettes which depict scenes of daily life in Hell. Much of the subject matter was satirical and mirrored the corruption and excess of Paris during the Second Empire. 

The photographs were reverse colored by hand, then backed with a layer of tissue paper and sandwiched between two double window cardboard mattes. Known as a “tissue views” or “hold-to-light views” and is similar to modern day slides or transparencies. For added effect, the eyes of the skeletons and various other creatures were pierced and dabbed with colored gelatin, causing their eyes to glow red. The final product was then viewed through a stereoscope which produced a realistic 3D effect.

At least three sculptors are known to have created vignettes for the series: Louis Alfred Habert, Pierre Adolph Hennetier and Louis Edmond Cougny. The series was originally published by Francois Benjamin Lamiche but was later taken over and expanded by the publisher Adolph Block. A total of 72 scenes were published by Block.

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French Photographic Nudes by Louis Igout circa 1870s

 

French Photographic Nudes by Louis Igout circa 1870s

Louis Jean-Baptiste Igout was a French photographer, well-known for his "academic" style, albumin emulsion photographs of the male and female nude. He was active in the 1870s and until his death in 1881 at the age of 44. The academic nudes of this era were created for the use of artists, painters and sculptures to take the place of live models making the process easier and less expensive for the artist while working from a photograph.

ALBUM d'ETUDES ~ POSES was filled with composite photographs (see next image); scan of cover and spine; circa mid-1870s.

Igout created a repertoire of photographs which he made into "composite" images featuring 16 small, thumbnail-like nudes each with a unique number. These composite photographs were then mounted into albums, like the one above, to serve as a catalogue. 

Clients reviewing the catalogue could place an order for the full-sized image of the pose they desired by indicating the catalogue number. Considering this was 150 plus years ago, quite  sophisticated.

Igout's full-size male and female nudes are among the most appealing of their time, beautifully made and technically superior in the history of French photography.

The next three images are all "full-size" female nudes created by Igout. They are the same size as the original glass negatives and measure approx. 7" x 9", mounted to a grey card stock contemporaneous with the creation of the photographs. Note that the bodies are not retouched, but natural, with the deficiencies of age or birth as Igout saw and photographed them. 


Vintage, originals by Igout are quite rare; originals in this, the largest size (i.e. same size as the negative or "contact prints") are extremely rare and the three posted here are among only a handful that I have had during my years in the trade.

 Note the catalogue number, lower left corner.

Dating back to the first formal studies of the female form (circa 1850s in France) the term "academic" nude was applied. At that time it implied that photographers were posing their models following "classical" conventions created in the paintings and sculptures of the Greeks and the Italians. 


When photography became part of the art history canon, 20th century (scholarly) academics began studying both the influence of classical art and the imitation of classical art as an aid to artists as aspects of the mid-to-late 19th century photographic nude. 

Ironic, n'est pas!

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CITIES OF THE FUTURE Surreal Fantasy Postcards circa 1900

Cities of the future, l'avenir, die zukunft a European genre unto itself, imagined cites and towns as they would appear circa 2000. These are playfully surreal fantasies, making up for there lack of visionary predictions with complicated collages and photo-montages accomplished by the skilled hands of artists, creative platemakers and printers.

Below is one of the great American examples of a city of the future postcard and surprisingly the only one for New York City that I can ever remember seeing. The image is a mash-up of turn-of-the-century "layer cake" style skyscrapers and a scene out of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. 

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FLYING FANTASIES Surreal Postcards 1900 ~ 1930s

Most postcard and photograph collectors are familiar with "studio portraits" taken at tourist attractions and amusement parks, especially popular in the early part of the 20th century. The couple sticks their heads through an opening in a two dimensional painting of a scene at the beach or as cowboy and cowgirl and the photograph snaps a picture. They are fairly common in the United States. Europeans created similar images with a particular twist, often of groups of people in or on lighter than air forms of transportation. These were particularly popular during WW1 with soldiers.

Here from my archives, is a group of real photo postcards depicting both civilian and military versions of the theme.

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And during the period just after the turn-of-the-twentieth century printed versions of the surreal, lighter than air fantasy cards were very popular throughout Europe, especially in France and Germany. Some wonderful examples of what it might be like to fly, by use of imagination and adaptation.

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FAT LADIES Postcards 1900-1950s

Continuing to sort through my postcard archives I have devoted the previous two posts to freaks, sideshow attractions and circus performers. I segregated out the fat ladies for their own post which they deserve, enormously! French, German, Italian and American postcards circa 1900 to the 1950s. 

(above) The earliest fat lady promotional postcard I've seen, published in Germany in the "gruss aus" style circa 1900. Jenny Letto 19 years old, 424.5 pounds.

Olga, the colossal lady, Germany circa 1910

Circa 1905, also in the "gruss aus" style and published for sale at German carnivals/fairs, the location of which would be written or rubber-stamped after "Gruss..." Many of these small town "volkfestes" featured menageries with human anomalies: fat ladies, giants, strongmen, etc. Still fairly easy to find at postcard shows in Germany, especially in comparison with the rare promotional card for Jenny Letto.

The woman of the future replacing man. A German "amazonia" fantasy, popular at the turn-of-the-century. Lithographed circa 1905.

Diamond Kitty 715 pounds, real photo postcard, American 1930s

Fetishizing a fat lady. Rubber chin strap and corset. Real photo postcard, Albert Wyndham Studio, Paris circa 1925.

The remaining are humoristic, all meant to be unflattering, in a way that was internationally acceptable decades before political correctness.

At the mineral springs taking the cure. "Effects of the Water", Italian 1930s

France circa 1930s prostitutes and their soldier clients.

American classic "linen" 1940s

French 1950s. Artwork below by Jean Chaperon

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FREAKS Sideshow Attractions Postcards 1900-1920

Adrouide The Woman from Mars

Within the French postcard trade the mistakes of nature are categorized as "phenomene". Prior to  the necessity of political correctness we called them freaks. Here is a selection of a handful of unusual people: circus sideshow and menagerie attractions from the turn-of-the-century to circa 1920. I will revisit this topic/post as I unearth additional material from my digital archives.

Above is Lionel the Lion Man, whose image, starting at about 6 years old, was documented on postcards. Most of his postcards are readily available. On the other hand (below) is Lyonella, the Lion Woman, whose image, on a postcard or otherwise, 

I have not previously seen - quite rare.

Miss Gabriele "torso lady"

Daisy and Violet, Siamese Twins. Both cards published in Germany, the one on 

the right of the girls undressed is very rare.

Two Kleinkopfes ~ pin-heads

Josefa and Rosa Blazek, Siamese Twins posed with Rosa's son Franzel.

Caption reads: Leopard Skin Kaffir Child with his Mother. 

Appears to be a severe case of vitiligo.

Bartola. The Last Living Aztec ~ pin-head.

A popular endeavor at this time was the creation of monsters that were the combination of two or more different creatures, often found in the depths of an ocean. This one I have not previously seen:  a combination of man and fish, nicely lithographed and 

published in Russia circa 1900.

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