Geneviève Élisabeth Disdéri facts for kids
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Geneviève Élisabeth Disdéri was an important early French photographer. She was born around 1817 and passed away in 1878. In 1843, she married André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, who was also a pioneering photographer. They worked together in their photography studio in Brest starting in the late 1840s. They used a method called daguerreotype, which was an early type of photography.
After her husband moved to Paris in 1852, Geneviève continued to run the studio in Brest by herself. She is well-known for her 28 pictures of Brest, mostly showing buildings and places. These were published in 1856 as a collection called Brest et ses Environs. Later, in 1872, she moved to Paris and opened her own studio. She was one of the very first professional female photographers in the world.
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Early Life and Photography Beginnings
Geneviève Élisabeth Francart was born in France in 1817. Her father, Nicolas Francart, was an industrialist, meaning he owned or managed a factory. He worked in the city of Brest, France. Her father passed away in 1832.
Later, she met Adolphe Disdéri, a French photographer. He started his career making daguerreotypes. He later invented a special type of small photograph called a "carte de visite." This was a tiny picture glued onto a card. He got a patent for it, and these cards became very popular for people to collect and trade in the late 1850s.
A Pioneer in Brest
Geneviève Élisabeth Disdéri already had some experience as a photographer when she married André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri in 1843. They had six children, but only one son survived. In 1848, they moved to Brest and opened their daguerreotype studio. Geneviève’s brother, who worked as a deputy commissioner in Brest, helped them with money.
In 1852, her husband left Brest to open a studio in Paris. He faced some challenges at the time. However, Élisabeth stayed in Brest and kept working at their studio. She continued her photography work there until the late 1860s.
Capturing the World Outdoors
While working on her own, Geneviève Élisabeth learned and mastered many photography techniques. She kept her studio busy by making the popular "carte de visite" photographs. During this time, most photographers took pictures of people's portraits indoors. Taking pictures outdoors was very rare. This was because the camera needed a very long time to capture the image, and the materials were difficult to use outside.
Even so, Élisabeth became famous for taking two popular outdoor pictures. An American collector named George Cromer later bought these photos. Her two photographs were called "Ruins of the abbey of Pointe St Mathieu next to Brest" and "Cimetière de Plougastel" (Group in the Plougastel-Daoulas cemetery). Both pictures were taken in 1856, but only the first one was signed by her.
Both photos seemed to use a newer method called the collodion technique. Many people believe she learned this technique with her husband when she was in Paris. Her pictures showed both buildings and people, capturing scenes of everyday life.
Later Years and Legacy
Geneviève Élisabeth Disdéri moved to Paris in 1872 and opened her own photography studio there. She continued her work until her death on December 18, 1878. She passed away in a hospital at the age of 61. She left behind a legacy as one of the world's first professional female photographers.
Images for kids
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Ruins of St Mathieu
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Cimetière de Plougastel
