Castiglione

1913 · 172668 — Paris: Goupil & Cie 1913. The most famous woman in Paris First edition of the Parisian aesthete's sumptuously illustrated biography. Castiglione 1837-1899 was a self-fashioned icon of high society whose extensive portfolio as a photographic model made her a major figure in the medium's early history. "La Castiglione was one of the first celebrated women to realize the iconic potential of the camera in this first period of photography. She was aware of the necessity for control a concern to use the camera rather than let the camera use her. Her chosen studio Mayer and Pierson made over seven hundred images of her an enterprise that in photography's earliest years represented a considerable investment in time and effort" Badger p. 51. She performed a wide variety of identities in her highly staged portraits including mythical historical seductive and grotesque. The fame resulting from her enigmatic images earned her significant political influence: her affair with Napoleon III likely contributed to Italian unification and Otto von Bismarck met with her to discuss the strategic importance of Paris following the Franco-Prussian war. Although he never met Castiglione Montesquiou 1855-1921 was enraptured by her reputation and collected hundreds of her photographs the majority of which are now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A fellow photography enthusiast - he aspired to be the most photographed person in the world - he was also a Symbolist poet painter and dandy. Quarto 273 x 195 mm. Colour photogravure frontispiece 25 plates 5 colour captioned tissue guards floriated initials borders and head- and tailpieces by Louis Popineau chapter titles printed in red. Bound with original wrappers. Contemporary dark green morocco by Durvand of Paris spine lettered and ruled in gilt 4 raised bands covers framed in blind and gilt gilt crown centrepiece surrounded by scrollwork border gilt fillets on board edges and turn-ins purple moiré endpapers top edge gilt the rest uncut orange red and green silk bookmarker loosely inserted. Spine gently toned ends a little rubbed plates bright and clean: a fine copy. Gerry Badger The Pleasures of Good Photographs: Essays 2010. hardcover