Nadar

réf. 51-7373 — Paris: circa late 19th Century. Silver print. 16.3 x 11 cm. Benoît-Constant Coquelin 1841-1909 known as Coquelin aîné Coquelin the Elder was a French actor who was known as one of the greatest theatrical figures of the age.He might be best remembered today for his association with two plays by Edmond Rostand: he originated the title character in Cyrano de Bergerac 1897 and he rehearsing to play the lead in Chanticler in 1909 when he died suddenly several days before opening night.Nadar whose real name was Félix Tournachon 1820–1910 was a conspicuous even astonishing presence in nineteenth-century France. Engaging and quick-witted he invented himself over and over as a bohemian writer a journalist a romantic Utopian a caricaturist a portrait photographer a balloonist an entrepreneur a prophet of aeronautics. The name "Nadar" was on everyone's lips.Today it is Nadar's photography that is remembered. In just a few years he taught himself the young art and became one of its greatest practitioners making portraits that are intimate and extraordinarily beautiful. His sitters who were often his friends included the great men and women of his time: Dumas Rossini Baudelaire Sarah Bernhardt Daumier Berlioz George Sand Delacroix. Nadar had a remarkable capacity to elicit his sitter's most natural qualities and to create even more than a likeness a true portrait of character. Paris: circa late 19th Century unknown