[Standing with a Rosary]

Art Historical Context

In the mid-19th century, during the opulent Second Empire era in France, photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson collaborated with the enigmatic Countess Virginia Oldoiniasis di Castiglione to *Standing with a Rosary (1861–67). This intimate albumen silver print from glass negative captures the Countess in a poised, contemplative stance, holding a rosary that evokes themes of piety and personal devotion. Measuring just 11.7 x 8.5 cm on its image, the small-scale portrait exemplifies the era's fascination with photography as a tool for self-presentation and celebrity. Albumen prints, prized for their luminous detail and warm tones achieved through egg-white coating on paper, were the gold standard of 19th-century photography. Pierson's technical mastery, combined with the Countess's visionary input—she often directed her own sittings—elevated these images beyond mere documentation into artistic expressions of femininity and fantasy. As a pioneering figure, the Countess used photography to craft her public persona, blending high fashion, theater, and spirituality. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this work highlights women's evolving role in visual culture, offering visitors a window into the glamour and introspection of 1860s Parisian society.

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...