Albert Lévy (photographer) facts for kids
Albert Levy (1847 – 1931) was a French photographer who worked in both Europe and the United States. He was very active in the 1880s and 1890s. He was a pioneer in a special type of photography called architectural photography, which means taking pictures of buildings.
He created a huge collection of over 2500 photo titles. You can find this collection at the National Library of France (BnF) and the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. His photos show buildings from many countries, including France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Albert Levy was one of the first photographers to have studios on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: in Paris, France, and in New York, USA.
His most important work for history was his "Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series." These were albums from the 1870s, each with 30 to 40 photos of buildings in the United States. There are at least 36 of these special albums!
Contents
About Albert Levy
Albert Levy was born in Paris, France, in 1847. He later passed away in a town near Paris called Asnières-sur-Seine. Records show he came to the United States in 1876. His job was listed as a photographer.
His Work and Studios
Albert Levy was mainly a photographer, but he also worked as a bookseller, editor, and even a manufacturer.
He was active as a photographer from the 1870s to the 1890s. He started in France and then worked in the United States. It was quite rare for a photographer to have studios in both America and Europe at the same time! He had several studios, including:
- 77 University Place, New York
- 4 Bond Street, New York
- 34+1⁄2 Pine Street, New York
- 19 rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin, Paris
Besides photography, he was also a pioneer in making gelatin dry plates in 1878. These dry plates were a new and easier way to take photos compared to older methods. Because of his work with dry plates, he was an early competitor to George Eastman, who later founded Kodak.
He also worked as an editor. His photo catalogue is kept at the National Library of France (BnF) and the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library.
Architectural Photography
Albert Levy's main passion was architectural photography. He did most of this work in the 1870s. He began in Europe and then moved to the United States, but he continued to photograph buildings in Europe too. His 1887 catalogue, with its 2500 titles, shows he took pictures of architecture in many countries.
He took special photos called albumen prints. These were high-quality photos, usually collected in albums with 30 to 40 pictures each. He focused on new and important buildings designed by famous architects like:
- Richard Morris Hunt
- George Browne Post
- Henry Hobson Richardson
- Calvert Vaux
- Charles B. Atwood
- William Le Baron Jenney
He also photographed buildings owned by important people like William Henry Vanderbilt and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
His most important contribution to history is his "Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series." This is a collection of at least 36 albums. Each album contains 30 to 40 albumen prints of buildings from the United States and Europe in the 1870s. These series include photos from cities like Washington, Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, and Zurich.
He organized these series based on the types of buildings he photographed. Some examples include:
- Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: First Series, Private City Dwellings (homes in cities).
- Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Second Series, Country Dwellings (homes in the countryside).
- Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Fifth Series, Messrs. Vanderbilt's Mansions (photos of the Vanderbilt family's large homes).
- Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series: Twelfth Series, Modern Street Architecture of Berlin (buildings on streets in Berlin).
- Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Thirty-Fifth Series, Sea Shore Cottages And Country Houses (homes near the sea).
A special collection of his best photos of American architecture was later published in Europe. It was called "L'Architecture Americaine" and showed the best of Albert Levy's work. This collection had three series of albums:
- 1st Series: Public Buildings
- 2nd Series: Private Urban Residences (city homes)
- 3rd Series: Suburban Homes (homes outside the city)
He also took part in the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia. This was a big world's fair!
Where to Find His Artwork
Many places around the world keep Albert Levy's photos. Some of the main places are:
- Architektur Sammlung of the Technische Hochschule in Munich
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
- Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
- Boston Public Library
- Centre Canadien d'Architecture
- George Eastman House
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Library of Congress of the United States
- Metropolitan Museum
- Ministère de Culture France
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art
- University of Louisville
- University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Samples
You can see some examples of Albert Levy's work online. Check out the HALIC (Historical Architecture and Landscape Image Collection) at the Art Institute of Chicago. Just search for "Albert Levy."
