Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art
Honoré Daumier. 1862 C.E. Paris, France. Lithograph
Nadar, one of the most prominent photographers in Paris at the time, was known for capturing the first aerial photographs from
the basket of a hot air balloon.
Artist: Honoré Daumier
Date: 1862 (Right after a court decision in 1862 that permitted photographs to be considered works of art.
Medium: Lithograph
Movement: Realism
Context: Nadar was famous for taking aerial photos of Paris since 1858. Daumier depicts Nadar as a bizarre, daring photographer; Nadar's hat is flying off, and in his own excitement to capture the perfect shot, he almost falls out of his balloon. Daumier mocks the new declaration that photography could be equal to "high art;" it's an ironic artwork. Appeared in a journal called Le Boulevard.
Content: All buildings in Paris below have "Paris" written on them.
Form: Lithograph (printing from a stone or smooth metal plate to produce mass images.)
Function: To mock Nadar; to show that ridiculous and dangerous means have to be used to elevate photography to the height and importance of "high art." Serves as a commentary on the 1862 court decision permitting photography to be seen as high art.
Also foreshadows modern aerial-surveillance photography; Nadar's balloon was used in the 1870 Siege of Paris for intrusive photography.
