[PHOTOGRAPHY - ALHAMBRA - ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE]. LAURENT, Jean (photographer).
[Photograph album containing pictures of Spain and its Islamic architectural treasures].
[Madrid, ca. 1870s]. Oblong folio (62 x 46.5 cm). With 72 large size albumen photographic prints with architectural views, including numerous views of Spanish and Western Islamic architectural treasures, 3 large composite photographic panoramas, and 5 photographs of people. 58 of the 72 photographs contain the name of photographer, title and number of the image in the negative. Contemporary gold- and blind-stamped green leather, green watered silk endpapers, gilt edges. [1 blank], [36], [1 blank], [1], [1 blank], [24], [1 blank], [6], [1 blank], [1], [4 blank], [1], [13 blank] ll.
€ 35,000
An exceptional album with fine views of Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, San Sebastian, and many more. The photographer Jean Laurent was born in France, but opened a photo studio in Madrid in 1856. In 1858, the Spanish government commissioned him to photograph the construction of the railroad line from Madrid to Alicante. The results were published and exhibited in many places, which brought him considerable success. From 1861-68, Laurent held the title of "Fotógrafo de S. M. la Reina" and produced photos of members of the Spanish royal family. His photo studio in Madrid became one of the best-known from his time, which allowed him to open gallery in Paris, where he exhibited and sold premium-quality prints from his work in Spain. Although he was interested in industrialisation and intended to convey the image of a modern and economically flourishing country, his photographs of the more picturesque aspects of Spain became more popular.
The present album contains 34 views of Western Islamic architectural structures and a large 4-part folding panorama of the Alhambra and Granada. Furthermore, it contains two examples of photographs on leptographic paper, a collodio-chloride printing paper which was sold ready to use. Its manufacture was perfected by Laurent in collaboration with Martínez-Sánchez in 1866.
With some slight signs of wear around the spine and the corners of the boards, the panorama views are mounted on grey cloth which is somewhat foxed (not affecting the actual photograph), the album leaves are very slightly browned. Overall in very good condition. Hannavy, Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography II, 829/830.
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