Carte De Visite

This truly is a lost art. These were photos that were produced on cardboard like paper. People would leave them as calling cards when they went to someones house, thus the name cartes de visite. They are about the size of a palm, and have very nice clarity and contrast. All the ones that I have seen are so pretty. I wish we still did this when we visited other people's houses. I found two that I thought were fascinating. One I found on flickr, and is of a woman, with creepy eyes. Apparently, according to the description and the comments, she was well off. Her dress is very shiny and looks like silk. I dont think it is that pretty or well made, but styles have changed since this picture was taken (1860). If you all have time, go look at the flickr page, coz the discussion is pretty cool.

Like I said, the woman has creepy eyes, she must have blinked while the picture was being taken. I personally think that the dress is too large for her, and kind of swallows her up. If you look at it close up, you can see that there is a lot of detail to the dress, and it must have been expensive. Unfortunately, it doesnt look that hot on her :(. 

The other image I found is also of a woman, with her back to the camera, looking over her shoulder. I think she looks much more elegant, and prettier than this "rich" woman above. She has an air of mystery to her, a sadness almost. She looks very regal, and I sort of created a life for her. She has noble lineage, but her family is nothing special. She lives in high society of Lima, Peru, but wishes for her independence from the responsibilities that come with high society. She falls in love with a foreigner, and becomes a dutchess of Spain.That is what I think of when I look at this image. I love it.Also, her dress is not so shiny, but it looks very nice on her, and although it may not be so extravagant, I have a feeling it was just as expensive as the other dress, if not more.Look at the lace shawl/top of the dress, as well as the jewelry she has on, and the way her hair is placed.

Love,

Ziggy