Aldophe Belot
c. 1876
Medium
Woodburytype, from the periodical “Galerie Contemporaine Littéraire, Artistique” (1879), volume 7
Dimensions
Image/paper: 23 × 18.7 cm (9 1/16 × 7 3/8 in.); Mount: 34 × 26 cm (13 7/16 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodburytype
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
143389
Art Historical Context
This striking woodburytype portrait, titled *Adolphe Belot* and created around 1876 by photographer Ferdinand J. Mulnier captures the likeness of the French novelist and playwright Adol Belot (1829–1890). Belot was a prominent figure in Paris's literary scene, known for his sensational dramas and novels exploring scandalous themes of love, society, and morality. Produced for the 1879 volume of *Galerie Contempor Littéraire, Artistique*—a lavish periodical dedicated to photographic portraits of contemporary intellectuals and artists—this image reflects the era's fascination with celebrity cultu...