Portret van Alexandre Dumas fils 1884

This is a portrait of Alexandre Dumas fils, likely made in France sometime in the mid-to-late 19th century by an anonymous photographer. Dumas fils was, of course, the son of Alexandre Dumas, author of 'The Three Musketeers' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Photography in this period was still a relatively new medium and was rapidly changing art and society. This image seems to be commenting on the fame of Dumas fils, but it also speaks to the democratizing potential of photography. It allowed the middle classes to participate in a culture of portraiture previously limited to the aristocracy. The carte-de-visite format - small and easily reproducible - further contributed to this democratization, making images affordable and shareable. To better understand this image, research into the rise of photography in 19th-century France and the social status of artists and writers like Dumas fils would be useful. Understanding the means of production and distribution for images is critical to understanding their significance.