L'Ecossais 1860s

Pierre-Louis Pierson made this photograph, "L'Ecossais," using the 19th-century process of albumen print. The effect of this chemical process gives the image a sepia tone and soft focus. But what’s most interesting is the image’s connection to the fashion industry. Pierson was the official photographer to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, and together they essentially invented the modern fashion photograph. Note the subject’s immaculate tartan kilt and jacket, and their confident pose. This wasn't merely a portrait; it was a carefully constructed image, made to be reproduced and circulated widely, a form of early advertising. Photography democratized image-making, but here, it was in service to elite culture and consumption. Considering this history challenges any hierarchy between art, fashion, and photography, revealing their complex entanglement in the theatre of modern life.