Olga Naryshkina1 - Public domain portrait photograph

André Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri was a French photographer known for inventing the carte de visite, a small photographic portrait that became popular in the mid-19th century. He was born in Paris on 28 March 1819 and died in Menton on 4 October 1889. Disdéri's innovations in photography helped make it more accessible to the masses and contributed to the democratisation of portrait photography. He was a prolific photographer, producing thousands of portraits of notable figures of his time, including Napoleon III, Victor Hugo and Giuseppe Garibaldi. Disdéri began his career as a daguerreotypist, but soon realised that the process was too expensive and time-consuming to be practical for mass production. He experimented with other photographic techniques and eventually developed the carte de visite, which allowed multiple images to be printed on a single plate, making the process more efficient and affordable. The popularity of the carte de visite spread quickly and soon people from all walks of life were collecting and exchanging these small portraits. They became a symbol of social status and were often displayed in elaborate albums or frames. Disdéri's success as a photographer allowed him to open several studios throughout France and expand his business internationally. He also trained many other photographers in his techniques, helping to popularise the carte de visite and other forms of portrait photography. Despite his contributions to the field, Disdéri's legacy has been somewhat overshadowed by his commercial success and the mass-produced nature of his work. However, his innovations in photography played a significant role in shaping the way we think about and consume images today.

André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri (1819-1889) was a French photographer who pioneered the carte de visite, a small photographic print mounted on a card. He is credited with popularising this format, which became widespread in the mid-19th century and had a significant impact on portrait photography and mass communication. Disdéri's innovation made portrait photography more affordable and accessible to the general public, facilitating the exchange of portraits between friends, family and public figures. His work played a crucial role in the development of photography as both an art form and a means of social documentation.