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Félix Tournachon dit NADAR

[Gérard de NERVAL]

Portrait photographique de Gérard de Nerval

Nadar, Paris s.d. (circa 1855), 6,3x10,3cm, une photographie.

[Gérard de NERVAL] Félix Tournachon known as NADAR

Photographic portrait of Gérard de Nerval
 

Original photograph on albumen paper, in carte-de-visite format, mounted on a board from the Nadar studio, depicting Gérard de Nerval.
“There remains this face on Nadar's photo, which is arguably the most revealing portrait of a man that the darkroom has never held in its night. Nevertheless, this face is Nerval, this intelligent look, a little worried, and above all good and humble. It is this uncared for chinstrap beard, this baldness so unlike the bald skulls of the Louis-Phillipe bourgeoisie, this poverty so worthy and yet so simply offered to the eyes of those who want to see it. It is these idle and tired hands, resting on the vagabond's old knees, these hands, of which it is said, that the workman at rest “does not know what to do”. He has a full working head to give to his hands, books and books to write still, of which he has drawn up a list; but no, he remains here, immobilised in this moment of posing in front of the photographer, which could be any other moment, for something still freezes him, something that his language, the most subtle in the world, cannot name.” (Albert Béguin)
 
A beautiful and rare, very contrasted, copy of one of the only known portraits of the writer.

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