Visual Materials
Russian cartes-de-visite of Charles Darwin
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- Description
- A group of three cartes-de visite (photographs) of Charles Darwin produced in Russia between 1874 and 1895. Two are variant copies of the same image: a portrait of Darwin originally taken by photography studio Elliot & Fry in 1874, when Darwin was about 64 years old. The first variant has the imprint of photographer "Wesenberg," St. Petersburg, Russia, in Roman and Cyrillic text, and Darwin's name handwritten in Cyrillic. It was issued sometime between 1874 and 1884, based on the photographer's studio address of Fontanka 55, where he was located until 1884. The second variant was produced after 1884; it has the imprint of "Wesenberg & Co.," and the studio's later address Makarov House, St. Petersburg, Russia, in Cyrillic text. It also has Darwin's name handwritten in Cyrillic. The third carte-de-visite is a photographic copy of an 1881 painting of Darwin by John Collier, depicting him standing with a loose cloak around his shoulders. It has the imprint of "Wesenberg & Co." in Cyrillic text, with Darwin's name handwritten in Cyrillic on front and back. On the back is a printed censor's note that translates to: "Approved to print. Aug. 16, 1895. Count Turchaninov ... S.L. Kind's typography, 27 Voznesenskii Prospect, St. Petersburg." Additional printed text advertises the low prices and superb quality of the company's cartes-de-visite, which includes the imperial family, "foreign sovereigns," Russian and other war heroes, authors, composers, artists, actors employed by Imperial theaters, etc., available for sale at the stationery store of I. Bulatov on 22 Voznesenskii Prospect in St. Petersburg.
