Carte de Visite - Background information
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Cartes de Visite were early small photographs which became popular in Europe around 1860 following an invention by Frenchman A.A.E.Disderi which radically reduced the cost of individual pictures. Disderi’s idea, expanding on the principal of an earlier stereoscopic camera, allowed eight images to be placed on a single photographic plate using 4 separate lenses inside the one camera. In order to protect the resultant rather fragile prints they were mounted on a stiff 54x89mm board which approximated the size of conventional calling cards.
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As time went on the myriad of photographic studios producing these cartes placed their details on the back in an ever increasingly ornate form of advertising.
Cartes de Visite were not only used to show individuals and families but also the leaders of society and places of interest. They lost popularity in the early 20th century when simple cheap cameras placed photography within the reach of the average household.
In the case of the Cox album the images have been preserved with great clarity but much of the information about them has been lost. Although a few have handwritten captions on the back the majority do not and identification becomes a problem. For those images that feature public figures or scenes of the day (such as Georg V of Hanover or the satirical cartoon of Franz Joseph I) general knowledge may suffice however for the rest other means may need to be employed. |
Same studio, early and late prints |
Due to recent advances in technology it is possible to search the internet for instances of similar photographs based upon the ‘look’ of a sample. While this method does not lend itself to images of individuals within the Cox family, as they are not widely distributed, it was able to identify a portrait of the 19th century German poet Heinrich Heine.
Although the records of photographic studios are normally lost (thus the image number found penciled on the back is no longer of use) details of the period during which the studio operated and when it occupied particular premises can be helpful.
The degree to which the advertisement on the back had ‘evolved’ can sometimes indicate the approximate date of printing too. Occasionally the studio will use a different series of cards for each year (such as the Sternitzky studio of Braunschweig).
When identifying an image there are two further hints that may be used. The first deals with the photograph itself. As cartes and photography evolved there was a tendency to show just the upper body or the head rather than a head to toe shot in the rather small print. The second is dress. Whilst men’s clothing was normally conservative and changed only slowly over the years ladies’ fashions were the opposite and tended to date quite quickly. |
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Even when a name is hand-written on the back of an image the information can be incomplete. The annotation ‘John Cox... 16 years.. 23 November 1857’ on the back of a loose photograph for example may not by itself narrow down the picture to that of a particular known person until seen in conjunction with the Cox family tree, Cox family history, and the photographer’s details. In this instance the photographer is Steinmann & Lindau of Braunschweig (Brusnwick) near Hanover Germany.
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John Cox later in life (Image: courtesy James Cox) |
John Cox in 1857 |
Cox family history sets out that a John Cox (b:22 Nov 1841) moved to Germany from Tasmania with other members of his family. There he married Marie von Lochneysen and became a member of the local military (his portrait in Hanoverian uniform hangs at Clarendon).
Despite all the above a large number of the persons portrayed in the album remain unidentified.
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