Edouard VAILLAT ( Daguerreotypist active circa 1840-1860 ) - Lot 234

Lot n° 234
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Edouard VAILLAT ( Daguerreotypist active circa 1840-1860 ) - Lot 234
Edouard VAILLAT ( Daguerreotypist active circa 1840-1860 ) Bust-length portrait of a man, framed with a Marie-Louise inscribed "VAILLAT E.", Paris, France. Palais Royal, 43. 1/4 plate daguerreotype Size: 10.5 x 8 cm - Stamped copper frame (size: 22 x 19.5 cm). Restorations to be expected. Trained as an optician, Édouard (sometimes spelled Éduard) Vaillat was one of the first French craftsmen to devote himself to the daguerreotype. In 1843, he set up shop in the Palais-Royal in Paris, first at no. 43, then at no. 44 (Galerie Montpensier) from 1844 onwards. His portrait studio quickly became one of the most renowned in the capital: by 1847, he was producing almost two thousand portraits a year, at a price of ten francs. His technical expertise was acclaimed by his contemporaries: he received an honorable mention in 1844 for the quality of his cameras, and two bronze medals at public exhibitions of industrial products. A close friend of Louis Daguerre, whose portrait he painted in 1849, Vaillat trained numerous students - both amateurs and professionals - and remained active throughout the 1850s. In 1854, he participated in the founding of the Société Française de Photographie, marking his role in structuring the nascent photographic milieu. Ernest Lacan paid tribute to him in 1855, noting that "[Vaillat] holds his place with dignity, at the forefront. His plates have a vigor of tone, a brilliance that distinguishes them among the best." This plate, whose mounting is typical of early daguerreotypes, may belong to Vaillat's earliest work, circa 1843. Having been opened at an undetermined date, the object now requires conservation work. These early works testify to the boom in photographic portraiture after 1840, made possible by technical improvements that reduced exposure times and extended the practice to a wider audience. Consultant : Mr Daniel Clauzier
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