Portret van Isaac Péreire before 1876

This portrait of Isaac Péreire was made by Nadar in France using photography. Nadar's portraits are celebrated for their psychological depth. But we can also consider them as products of their time. In mid-19th century France, photography was a relatively new medium, and portraiture was largely the domain of painting. Photography democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider segment of society. However, it also carried a certain social weight, being associated with scientific objectivity. Here, Nadar is photographing a member of the French elite. Isaac Péreire was a banker and railway developer. In this way, the portrait also reflects the growing importance of finance and industry in French society. To understand this image better, we can look at the history of photography, as well as the social and economic history of France. Understanding the institutions that shaped artistic production allows us to understand the context in which the work was made.