[Countess de Castiglione, from Série des Roses]

Art Historical Context

Step into the enchanting world of 19th-century photography with *Countess de Castiglione, from Série des Roses*1895), a delicateen silver print created by Countess Virginia Oldoiniasis di Castiglione in with master photographer Pierre-Louiserson. This intimate portrait, measuring just 14.3 x 9.9 cm, captures the Countess in her later years as part of her poetic "Series of Roses," where she evoked floral elegance amid personal reinvention. The Countess, born in 1837, was a trailblazing Italian noblewoman and courtesan whose legendary beauty captivated Napoleon III and European high society. A pioneer of self-portraiture, she directed over 400 photographic sessions with Pierson at Mayer & Pierson studio in Paris, transforming photography into a tool for self-mythologizing decades before modern influencers. By 1895, at age 58, this series reflected her enduring obsession with image control, blending vanity, artistry, and melancholy. Crafted via the albumen silver process from a glass negative—a hallmark of mid-to-late 19th-century photography prized for its sharp detail and subtle tonal warmth—this print exemplifies early celebrity portraiture's cultural shift. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, it highlights women's emerging agency in visual culture, bridging fashion, performance, and fine art.

About the Artist

Countess Virginia Oldoini Verasis di Castiglione|Pierre-Louis Pierson (French| ) · 1822 |1835 –1913 |1899

French, 1822–1913|1835–1899