Portret van Henry Monnier in de rol van Joseph Prudhomme 1875

Etienne Carjat created this photographic print of Henry Monnier as Joseph Prudhomme. Carjat's portrait captures Monnier in character, a figure he both wrote and performed, embodying the bourgeois values of 19th-century France. Joseph Prudhomme was a satire, a comment on the complacency and self-importance of the middle class during the reign of Louis-Philippe. He represents the kind of person that rises in power due to the social and economic conditions of the time. Photography, in this context, becomes a tool not just for documentation, but also social commentary. Carjat, associated with the bohemian circles of Paris, uses his craft to immortalize Monnier's critique. It's a powerful intersection of theatre, literature, and visual art, all reflecting the complex social fabric of the time. To fully appreciate this image, we delve into theatre history, 19th-century French literature, and the rise of photography as a means of cultural expression. Only then can we truly understand the layers of meaning embedded within.