Alphonse Karr
The French novelist, journalist and critic Alphonse Karr (1808–1890) first met Félix Tournachon in 1839, before the latter took up photography and became widely known by his pseudonym, Nadar. Nineteen at the time, Nadar was working primarily as a writer and caricaturist and was far less conservative than the older Karr, who disliked the young man’s radical politics. Nevertheless, Karr hired him in 1848 to work for his short-lived, pro-government newspaper, Le Journal. Even though their political opinions differed, the two men shared an aversion to the ascension of Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, and they remained friends after Karr moved to Nice in 1855. Nadar’s fondness for Karr, whom he called "a brother I would have chosen," comes through in this portrait, despite the rather imperious, stately pose.
Artwork Details
- Title: Alphonse Karr
- Artist: Nadar (French, Paris 1820–1910 Paris)
- Person in Photograph: Person in photograph Alphonse Karr (French, 1808–1890)
- Date: 1855–60
- Medium: Albumen silver print from glass negative
- Dimensions: Image: 9 in. × 7 3/16 in. (22.9 × 18.3 cm)
Mat: 21 3/16 × 17 1/4 in. (53.8 × 43.8 cm)
Mount: 18 9/16 in. × 13 1/16 in. (47.1 × 33.2 cm) - Classification: Photographs
- Credit Line: Gift of Sarah and Gary Wolkowitz, 2019
- Object Number: 2019.102
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.