A Perfect Mania
Cartes de Visite Images from the
Research Library Collections
Exhibit curated by Amy Bowman and Geoff Wexler
“There is a perfect mania now in Paris for photographic visiting cards…”
Photographic Notes
August 1, 1860
Perhaps the most popular form of photography in the mid-to-late 19th century was the carte de visite – literally a “visiting card” with a photographic portrait attached. Patented in France in 1854 by André Adlophe-Eugène Disdéri, the cards quickly became standard fare for photographers throughout the world. When the Oregon Historical Society began its collections in 1898, it was natural that the Society would document Oregon’s prominent citizens primarily through cartes de visite. As a result, the Research Library now holds over six thousand of these images, many of which are extremely rare portraits.
The curators of the present exhibit have selected cartes de visite of unusual visual or historical interest. Many display the names of well-known Oregon photographers of the 19th century. Through enlargement of the images, the viewer can see many subtleties that may have gone unnoticed by those who saw these photographs originally. Also included are facsimiles of several card backings, which often served as advertisements for the various photographic studios. Also displayed is a selection of original cartes-de-visite and a typical album.
Copies of all images, in various sizes, may be purchased from the Oregon Historical Society by calling 503-306-5250, or by email at photoorders@ohs.org.
