LOT DETAILS

Materials:

A unique album of 66 albumen prints (44 scenes and 22 portraits) from wet-collodion negatives, mounted to album pages. Fifty-six with red ink facsimile signature stamps and 4 smaller prints with red ink credit stamps, all on the recto; 38 annotated, possibly by Regnaud, in blue ink on the mounts. The majority mounted one-per-page. Oblong folio, dark green leather with gilt embossed title, date, dedication and imperial arms on front cover.

Size Notes:

Portraits: each approx. 32 x 24.5 cm (12 5/8 x 9 5/8 in.) Scenes: varying sizes from 13.2 x 17.8 cm (5 1/4 x 7 in.) to 32.6 x 38.7 cm (12 7/8 x 15 1/4 in.) and one six-part panorama 30.6 x 210.5 cm (12 x 82 7/8 in.) overall Album: 54 x 67 cm (21 ¼ x 26 3/8 in.)

Edition:

This work is unique.

List of images is available upon request.

Description:

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Condition:

The 66 albumen prints: 44 scenes: Each a purplish-brown coloured print with strong image density and tonal gradation, mounted to album page. The majority with original retouching of which some have darkened with age, visible mostly under close inspection. The last two prints in the album with varying degrees of adhesive residue at the edges of the primary mounts, not affecting the images, have been added later. Manœuvres de Cavalerie de la Garde Impériale : A few minimal, scattered scuffs, visible only in raking light. The mount with a tiny tear at lower centre edge, not affecting the image. Manœuvres du 3 Octobre 1857: Minimal original retouching that has darkened with age in the sky, visible only under close inspection. A minimal, linear, raised impression in the sky, near upper left corner, and minimal scattered scuffing, visible only in raking light. Six-part Panorama: •First double page: Some original retouching, visible only under close inspection. Minimal scattered scuffing and adhesive residue at lower edge, visible only under raking light. •Second double page: Minimal scattered scuffing, visible only under close inspection. •Third double page: Very minimal accretion in upper right corner and several pinpoints of original retouching that have darkened with age in the sky, visible only under close inspection. 22 portraits: Each a purplish-brown coloured print with strong image density and tonal gradation, mounted to album page. Many with original retouching of which a few have darkened with age. The mounts are in overall very good to excellent condition apart from a few pages at the front and back of the album with varying degrees of one or more of the following issues along the edges and not affecting the images: foxing, staining and soiling. Several with minor tears and losses at edges (some repaired.) The album cover is in overall very good condition with minimal wear, mainly visible on the back cover. The front cover with minor scattered areas of lifting of the leather. The upper and lower corners of the album cover and the lower corner of the back cover are bumped with varying degrees of loss to leather. This work is accompanied by a conservator’s report.

Literature:

E. P. Janis, The Photography of Gustave Le Gray, Chicago: U. of Chicago, 1987, p. 19, p. 84, pp. 87-99
Gustave Le Gray, Los Angeles: Getty, 1988, n.p.
Pioneers of Landscape Photography, Frankfurt: Sta?dtische Galerie, 1993, pp. 33-35
Une Passion Française: Photographies de la collection Roger Therond, New York: Filipacchi, 1999, pl. 140, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146
S. Aubenas, Gustave Le Gray, 1820-1884, Paris: BNF/Gallimard, 2002, pl. 160, 165, 166, 168, 307, 311
A. Mondenard, Modernisme ou modernite?: les photographes du cercle de Gustave Le Gray, Arles: Actes Sud, 2012, p. 17

Provenance:

Gift from Napoleon III to Comte Auguste Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély, 1857<br />by descent to the present owners