[La Comtesse in Cape with Fringe; Serie à la Ristori]

Art Historical Context

In the 1860s, photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson captured glamorous Countess Virginia Oldoini Verasis di Castiglione—known simply as La Comtesse—in this intimate albumen silver print from glass negative. Titled *La Comtesse in Cape Fringe; Serie à la Ristori*, the 8.3 x 13.0 cm portrait shows the countess draped in a lavish fringed cape, evoking dramatic flair of actress Adelaide Ristori, whose performances inspired this series. Pierson, of the renowned Mayer & Pierson studio, collaborated closely with the countess, who orchestrated hundreds of such self-portraits to craft her public image. As...

About the Artist

Pierre-Louis Pierson|Countess Virginia Oldoini Verasis di Castiglione · 1822–1913

Pierre-Louis Pierson (1822–1913) was a pioneering French portrait photographer whose career spanned the formative years of the medium. Born on December 13, 1822, in Hinckange in the Moselle department, Pierson developed an early fascination with photography during the 1840s, as the daguerreotype was still in its infancy. His early life and formal training remain sparsely documented, but by 1844, h...