Pierre-Louis Pierson
Rose de Compiegne, Portrait of the Countess of Castiglione from Série des Roses
Pierre-Louis Pierson's portrait of the Countess of Castiglione, a self-directed self-portrait where the sitter controlled every aspect of the composition. The photograph exemplifies the Countess's collaboration with Pierson in creating highly stylized self-portraiture.
- Medium
- This photograph shows Virginia Oldoini, Countess de Castiglione (1837-1899), who, in concert with several Parisian photographers, created a remarkable body of self-portraiture that defied the conventions of her day. A colorful and imposing character, the Countess was Naploleon III’s mistress and a flamboyant fixture in the upper echelon of Parisian society. Fueled by a profound self-regard, the Countess had her photographic portrait made countless times. Pierre Apraxine writes that her collaboration with Pierson was especially fruitful, as the photographer apparently catered to her every demand: “In a reversal of the roles, the sitter would direct every aspect of the picture, from the angle of the shot to the lighting, using the photographer as a mere tool in her pursuit of self-absorbed, exhibitionist fantasies” (
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Phillips
🔨 Auction Lot
The Odyssey of Collecting: Photographs from Joy of Giving Something Foundation
October 3, 2017
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