Gustave LE GRAY

Original carte-de-visite photograph, albumen print, mounted on card made by Gustave Le Gray and showing Alexandre Dumas bearded in white trousers. Contemporary print.
A few very minor spots in the lower margin, otherwise deep blacks and fine contrast.
Very fine full-length standing portrait of the writer staring intensely at the lens.
About this portrait, which he reproduces on the front page of his magazine Monte-Cristo dated January 5, 1860, Alexandre Dumas writes: "Des qualités de ce portrait, je ne veux qu'affirmer la première, la plus essentielle : la ressemblance. C'est à vous, chers lecteurs, de voir si jamais la photographie est allée plus loin. C'est qu'aussi dois-je vous dire que je ne me suis pas laissé guider par le hasard dans le choix du photographe, et qu'en M. Le Gray j'ai tout simplement rencontré un artiste de la meilleure venue. Allez le trouver, m'avaient dit d'excellents juges en matière photographique, et vous serez content. Je suis allé le trouver, et j'ai été émerveillé. J'ai compris - ce qu'après avoir fait faire cent portraits par cent photographes différents, vous ne soupçonnez peut-être pas encore, chers lecteurs - j'ai compris que Le Gray comme photographe est à la fois un artiste et un savant." ["Of the qualities of this portrait, I wish only to affirm the first, the most essential: the likeness. It is up to you, dear readers, to see if photography has ever gone further. For I must also tell you that I did not let myself be guided by chance in choosing the photographer, and that in M. Le Gray I simply encountered an artist of the finest quality. Go find him, excellent judges in photographic matters had told me, and you will be pleased. I went to find him, and I was amazed. I understood - what after having had a hundred portraits taken by a hundred different photographers, you perhaps do not yet suspect, dear readers - I understood that Le Gray as a photographer is both an artist and a scholar."]

Original albumen photograph mounted on card by Gustave Le Gray representing Alexandre Dumas with beard in white trousers. Deep blacks and beautiful contrast.
Photo mounted on heavy paper. Very fine condition. As the Legray house was acquired by the Alophe house, the print is probably slightly later. Furthermore, while the first printing shows the writer's feet and ground, here he appears in a medallion that cuts him at the calf. The printing can be dated around 1870.
On verso, the author's name in manuscript and a stamp: Ancienne maison Legray et Cie, Alophe Succr. 35 Boulevart des Capucines.
Very fine full-length portrait of the writer.
About this portrait, which he reproduces on the front page of his magazine Monte-Cristo dated January 5, 1860, Alexandre Dumas writes: "Des qualités de ce portrait, je ne veux qu'affirmer la première, la plus essentielle : la ressemblance. C'est à vous, chers lecteurs, de voir si jamais la photographie est allée plus loin. C'est qu'aussi dois-je vous dire que je ne me suis pas laissé guider par le hasard dans le choix du photographe, et qu'en M. Le Gray j'ai tout simplement rencontré un artiste de la meilleure venue. Allez le trouver, m'avaient dit d'excellents juges en matière photographique, et vous serez content. Je suis allé le trouver, et j'ai été émerveillé. J'ai compris - ce qu'après avoir fait faire cent portraits par cent photographes différents, vous ne soupçonnez peut-être pas encore, chers lecteurs - j'ai compris que Le Gray comme photographe est à la fois un artiste et un savant." ["Of the qualities of this portrait, I wish only to affirm the first, the most essential: the likeness. It is for you, dear readers, to see if photography has ever gone further. I must also tell you that I did not let myself be guided by chance in choosing the photographer, and that in M. Le Gray I simply encountered an artist of the finest quality. Go find him, excellent judges in photographic matters had told me, and you will be pleased. I went to find him, and I was amazed. I understood - what after having had a hundred portraits taken by a hundred different photographers, you perhaps do not yet suspect, dear readers - I understood that Le Gray as a photographer is both an artist and a scientist."]

Photographic portrait of Alexandre Dumas
Original photograph on albumin paper in a visiting card format, laid down on card, by Gustave Le Gray and showing Alexandre Dumas with a beard in white trousers. Deep blacks and good contrast.
Photo mounted on card. Very good condition. The Legray studio having been bought by the Alophe studio, the photo is no doubt a little later. In any case, while the first photo shows the feet of the writer on the ground, he is here enclosed in a medallion that cuts off his feet. Therefore we would date the photo to around 1870.
On the back, the name of the author in manuscript and a stamp: Ancienne maison Le gray et C^ie, Alophe Succr. 35 Boulevart des Capucines.
A very handsome standing portrait of the writer.
Dumas wrote of this portrait, which he reproduced on the front page of his review Monte-Cristo on the 5 January 1860: “Of the qualities of this portrait, I would like to dwell only on the first, the most essential: the resemblance. It is up to you, dear readers, to determine whether photography has ever done finer. I must also say to you that I did not pick the photographer at random, and that in M. Le Gray, I have found an artist of the first water. Go and seek him out, excellent judges of photography told me, and you will be pleased. I went to see him and I was amazed. I understood, and this after having had a hundred different photographs taken by a hundred different photographers, though you may not suspect it yet, dear readers, I understood that as a photographer, Le Gray is both an artist and inspired.”

Original photograph of Alexandre Dumas

Paris [ca 1860] | 6.4 x 10.4 cm | one photograph

Original photograph on albumen paper laminated on card taken by Gustave Le Gray and showing a bearded Alexandre Dumas in white trousers. Contemporary print.
Model name written in pencil at the bottom of the shot. Deep blacks and beautiful contrast.
Very beautiful full-length portrait of the writer looking intensely at the camera.
About this photo, which he prints on the front page of the Monte-Cristo review dated 5 January 1860, Alexandre Dumas writes: «I only want to state the first, the most essential, quality of this portrait: resemblance. It's up to you, dear readers, to see if the photograph has gone any further. It is also that I must say to you that I did not allow myself to be guided by chance in the choice of the photographer, and that in Mr Gray I simply met an artist of the best quality. Go and find him, judges of photography told me great things, and you will be happy. I went to see him and I was amazed. I understood – something that after having had a hundred portraits by a hundred different photographers, you may not yet suspect, dear reader – I understood that, as a photographer, Le Gray is both an artist and a scholar.»