[Photo Collage: Man Wearing Cross Body Satchel]

Art Historical Context

This intriguing photo collage from around 1875 captures a man casually wearing a cross-body satchel, offering a rare glimpse into everyday attire and practical accessories of the late nineteenth century. Created by Juan Pedro Chabalgoity, the work combines an albumen silver print with lithograph elements, a technique that allowed photographers to blend realistic portraiture with drawn or printed details for enhanced visual interest. Albumen prints, prized for their rich tonal range and fine detail, were the dominant photographic medium of the era, while the addition of lithography introduced artistic flair and possibly color or textural effects. Measuring just over four by two-and-a-half inches on its mount, the piece likely served as a personal memento or collectible, reflecting photography’s growing role in documenting ordinary life. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Photographs, this modest yet evocative work highlights the experimental spirit of early photographic collage and the cultural significance of such intimate portraits in the 1870s.

About the Artist

Juan Pedro Chabalgoity · 1848–1909

Juan Pedro Chabalgoity (1848–1909) stands as one of the pioneering figures of Uruguayan academic painting, a generation that sought to establish a national artistic tradition while remaining deeply connected to European models. Born in Uruguay, he pursued formal training abroad, traveling to Europe to refine his craft in the manner of the academies then dominant on the continent. His formation pla...