Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon
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Self-portrait, c. 1860
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| Born | 9 January 1818 La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Seine-et-Marne, Kingdom of France
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| Died | 28 April 1881 (aged 63) |
| Resting place | Fontainebleau |
| Other names | Exhibited in the Salon as "Adama" (1844 and 1848). |
| Occupation | Sculptor, portrait photographer |
| Organization | Société Française de Photographie |
| Spouse(s) |
Georgine Cornélie Coutellier
(m. 1850; |
| Awards |  Legion of Honour - Knight (1870) |
Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon (born January 9, 1818 – died April 28, 1881) was a talented French artist. He was famous for his sculptures and for his amazing portrait photographs.
Contents
Early Life and Art
Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon was born in France in 1818. His family was French Jewish. His father wanted him to be a merchant. But Antoine chose a different path.
He started by making models for a pottery factory. Then, he got a special scholarship. This helped him study sculpture in Paris. He also traveled to Switzerland and England to learn more.
Antoine became known for his sculptures. He made busts, which are sculptures of a person's head and shoulders. Some famous people he sculpted include Victor Cousin and Marie Antoinette.
Becoming a Photographer
After becoming a successful sculptor, Adam-Salomon learned photography. He studied in Munich in 1858 with Franz Hanfstaengl. Hanfstaengl was a well-known portrait photographer.
Adam-Salomon quickly became a leading portrait photographer himself. He opened his first photography studio in Paris in 1859. In 1865, he opened a second studio in the city.
His portrait photographs were considered among the best of his time. People admired them for their special lighting. This lighting technique created a strong contrast between light and shadow. This style is called chiaroscuro.
Awards and Recognition
In 1870, Adam-Salomon became a member of the French Photography Society. This group is called the Société française de photographie.
The same year, he received a special honor from France. He was made a knight in the Legion of Honour. This is one of France's highest awards.
Why His Work Was Important
Photography as an Art Form
Adam-Salomon's photographs helped people see photography as a true art form. At first, some people did not think photography was art. For example, in 1858, a poet named Alphonse de Lamartine said photography was "only a plagiarism of nature."
But after seeing Adam-Salomon's amazing photographs, Lamartine changed his mind. This shows how much Adam-Salomon's work influenced opinions.
Praised by Critics
Adam-Salomon's work received a lot of attention in the French news. He was talked about much more than other famous photographers.
After a big exhibition in Paris in 1867, a reviewer from The Times newspaper in the UK praised his pictures. They called them "matchless" and "beyond praise." They said they were "the finest photographic portraits in the world."
In 1868, the editor of the British Journal of Photography Almanac also wrote about him. He said Adam-Salomon's portraits showed "the true capabilities of photography." He believed they set a new standard for artists.
Selected Works
Photography
Adam-Salomon created many famous photographic works:
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Philosophe
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Alphonse Karr, a French writer.
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Charles Garnier, a French architect.
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Lajos Kossuth, a Hungarian politician.
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Labeled as "General Giroflore", identity unknown.
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Said to be Lola Montez, an Irish dancer and actress.
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Sculpture
Adam-Salomon also made several sculptures:
- Edwin Chadwick at National Portrait Gallery
- Adam-Salomon's bust sculptures of Elisabeth of Bavaria at Sotheby's
Personal Life
In 1850, Adam-Salomon married Georgine Cornélie Coutellier. She was also an artist. Georgine was Christian but converted to Judaism when she married Antoine. She followed the Hebrew faith until she passed away in February 1878. They did not have any children together.
See Also
- Legion of Honour
- Legion of Honour Museum
- List of Legion of Honour recipients by name (A)
- Ribbons of the French military and civil awards
