Twintig portretten van Marie Magnier, Albany Debriege, Cécile Sorel en Aimée Martial before 1892

This photographic album page of twenty portraits by Nadar presents a formal study in serial portraiture. The subjects – Marie Magnier, Albany Debriege, Cécile Sorel, and Aimée Martial – are arranged in a grid, each set of five images offering different views and poses. The structure of the grid itself is key. It invites comparison and contrast. Each face, framed in the sepia tones typical of early photography, carries a distinct expression and is styled with unique headwear and attire. This arrangement allows us to consider the semiotics of portraiture. How do pose, lighting, and adornment contribute to the construction of identity? Nadar, a prominent figure in the artistic and intellectual circles of his time, uses photography to explore the essence of the individual, and here, the multiplication of images serves not to dilute but to amplify this exploration. It challenges the notion of a singular, fixed identity, suggesting instead a fluid and multifaceted self.