Félix Nadar
Today starts the 50 Photographers You Should Know. Our first photographer is Félix Nadar. He was born Gaspard Félix Tournachon in 1820 in Paris, France. He was a well-known journalist, novelist, and caricaturist before his photography ever brought him any fame. It wasn't until 1854 that he took up the camera. Less than a year later, he won a gold medal at the Paris World's Fair for photographs of Charles Debureau as a mime, made in collaboration with his brother, Adrien.
He owned and operated his own private balloon named "Le Géant" (The Giant) and was known to take aerial photographs over Paris. He would also delve deep into the catacombs and sewers of Paris to capture the city from below. But above all, the name Nadar was known for portraiture. He immortalized the intellectual greats of the day: Doré, Daumier, Delacroix, Millet, Daubigny, Courbet, Manet, Monet, Rodin, Charles Baudelaire, Verdi, and many many more. These portraits brought out the true character of the sitter: their intellect, charisma and humor. These were portraits of artists by an artist.
Gioacchino Rossini 1856
Fascinating - I've known that portrait of Rossini since I was in college, but never thought about the photographer.
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