Zestien portretten van Louise Théo en Jeanne Granier in verschillende theaterrollen before 1892

This is a set of sixteen portraits by Nadar, featuring Louise Théo and Jeanne Granier in various theatrical roles. Nadar was a pioneering photographer in mid-19th-century Paris, a city undergoing massive social and cultural shifts, including the rise of the actress as a public figure. Considered against the backdrop of burgeoning feminism and the increasing visibility of women in the arts, these images offer a window into the construction of female identity and representation during this period. Théo and Granier, through their roles, embody a range of female archetypes, reflecting both the limited opportunities and the performative power available to women in the theater and society. As Nadar himself noted: "Photography is not, as has been said, a surface... It is the result of a collaboration between the model and the photographer." In these portraits, Nadar doesn't merely capture likeness; he crafts a narrative about femininity, performance, and the gaze. They speak to the complex interplay between visibility and vulnerability that defined the experience of women in the public sphere.