Title:
Sarah Bernhardt and Her Son – Melandri, Paris, 1885–1890
Description:
This original cabinet card photograph depicts the renowned French actress Sarah Bernhardt standing on an exterior staircase beside her son, Maurice Bernhardt. She is elegantly dressed in a dark gown with elaborate trim and lace details, wearing a bonnet, gloves, and holding a parasol over her shoulder. Her left hand rests gently on the boy’s shoulder as he leans toward her, holding his hat at his side.
The stairs are covered with patterned carpets, and the composition is framed by potted plants and trailing ivy climbing up the facade of a grand Parisian building. Behind them, a carved wooden double door and shuttered windows create a refined backdrop.
The reverse of the mount bears the printed photographer’s mark:
Melandri, Peinture & Photographie d’Art, 19 Rue Clauzel, Paris.
In pencil, it is inscribed:
Sarah Bernhardt.
Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) was the most celebrated actress of her era, acclaimed internationally as “The Divine Sarah.” She performed in many of the greatest dramatic roles of the 19th century, including Phèdre, Hamlet, and Marguerite Gautier, and was a pioneer of celebrity culture. Bernhardt toured extensively across Europe and America and was among the earliest stage performers to be photographed, recorded, and filmed. Her only child, Maurice Bernhardt, became a noted art collector and writer.
Photographic Type:
Albumen print on original cabinet card mount. The process yields the warm sepia tonality characteristic of professional portraiture in this period.
Technique:
Produced outdoors or in a daylight studio using a glass plate negative.
Estimated Dimensions:
Image: approx. 14 × 10 cm (5.5 × 4 in)
Mount: approx. 16.5 × 10.5 cm (6.5 × 4.1 in)
Date:
1885–1890
Photographer:
Melandri, Peinture & Photographie d’Art, 19 Rue Clauzel, Paris.
Specialité de Photo-Aquarelles.
Condition:
Light fading and minor toning consistent with albumen prints.
Corners and edges clean with slight wear to mount corners.
No tears, creases, or repairs noted.
Keywords:
Sarah Bernhardt, Maurice Bernhardt, Paris, French theatre, celebrity photography, cabinet card, 19th century portrait photography, Melandri, albumen print, women in the arts, Belle Époque