Preferred Citation
Arrangement
Biographical / Historical
Conditions Governing Access
Digitzed Material
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Processing Information
Scope and Contents
Contributing Institution: Special Collections
Title: Album of Mexican and French cartes-de-visite
Creator: Desmaisons, Emilien, 1812-1880
Identifier/Call Number: 2000.R.25
Physical Description: 0.5 Linear Feet(1 album)
Date (inclusive): between 1861 and 1880
Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
catalog record for this collection. Click here for the
access policy .
Abstract: The album of cartes-de-visite by mostly unidentified photographers, assembled during the time of the French intervention in
Mexico by an unknown person, contains photographs of Pre-Columbian related statuary; portraits of 19th-century Mexican presidents,
military, and political figures; studio portraits of indigenous people, street vendors, and other professions; portraits of
figures associated with the French in Mexico; portraits of Napoleon III and family; and portraits of the compiler's family
and friends.
Language of Material: Collection is in French.
Preferred Citation
Album of Mexican and French cartes-de-visite, approximately 1861-1880, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession
no. 2000.R.25.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2000r25
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in a single series: Series I: Album of Mexican and French cartes-de-visite, approximately 1861-1880.
Biographical / Historical
The unidentified compiler of the album was likely someone who served in or was associated with the French army in Mexico during
the period known as the French intervention in Mexico (1861-1867) when the French invaded and ruled Mexico, establishing
Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, as Emperor of Mexico.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Digitzed Material
The collection was digitized in 2010 and the images are available online:
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/2000r25
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired in 2000.
Processing Information
The finding aid was initally written by Beth Ann Guynn in 2017 and encoded by Linda Kleiger. Guynn updated the finding aid
in 2021.
Scope and Contents
The album of cartes-de-visite by mostly unidentified photographers (due in part to the fact that the versos of the cartes
are not visible) appears to have been assembled by someone who likely served in or was associated with the French army in
Mexico during the period known as the French intervention in Mexico (1861-1867) when the French invaded and ruled Mexico,
establishing Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, as Emperor of Mexico. Included are 45 cartes-de-visite and one calling card.
The following groups of images are present: photographs of pre-Columbian related statuary (5); portraits of 19th-century Mexican
presidents, military, and political figures (8); occupational portraits depicting various types of Mexican street vendors
and professions, many of whom are indigenous persons (20); portraits of figures associated with the French in Mexico, including
generals Ignacio Zaragoza and Jesús Ortega, known for their leadership in the defense of Puebla, and General Tomás Mejía,
whose alignment with the French caused him to be executed with Maximillian (5); portraits of Napoleon III and family (3);
and unidentified portraits, including some who appear to be family and friends of the album compiler (4).
Seven of the images are photographs of prints or drawings; others are second or third generation copy photographs from original
cartes-de-visite, attesting to the popularity and wide dissemination of the Mexican images at the time the album was assembled.
The album has pebbled brown leather covers with a chased brass clasp. The covers and spine are embossed with a gothic design
in high relief. The openings of the carte-de-viste mounts are surrounded by a gilt-stamped design with the initials J. H.
centered below the design; four openings are empty. French captions are handwritten on many of the mounts in brown ink above
and beneath the images; these captions have been used as image titles. Consequently, some titles may include language now
considered to be racist or biased. Spelling can also be archaic. For example, througout the album "aztèques" is spelled "astèques."
The three photographs of the French imperial family are by Émile Desmaisons. They are all blindstamped in the photograph:
E. D. The photographer's imprint is visible on one verso: E. Desmaisons, 5 rue des Grands Augustins, Paris. Copyright secured
for England. One photograph is signed in the negative: E. Desmaisons, DEL.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cartes-de-visite -- Mexico -- 19th century
Photograph albums -- Mexico -- 19th century
Albumen prints -- Mexico -- 19th century
Studio portraits -- Mexico -- 19th century
Photographs, Original
Generals -- Mexico -- Portraits
Mexico -- Antiquities
Indians of Mexico -- Portraits
Occupations -- Mexico
Mexico -- History -- European Intervention, 1861-1867
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, III, 1808-1873 -- Portraits
González Ortega, Jesús, 1822-1881 -- Portraits
Mejía, Tomás, 1820-1867 -- Portraits
Zaragoza, Ignacio, 1829-1862 -- Portraits