Frédérick Lemaitre Carjat, Etienne  (French, 1828-1906)

"Systeme Piallat" circa 1864. Piallat was a professional photographer and many of his CDV portraits still exist. He originally worked at 9 Rue Chaptal, Paris and then from 1865 to about 1870 he worked from 49 Rue Rodier, Paris. It was at this location, near the printer Bertauts that he produced his photolithographs. Mr. Piallat, has sought to transport to stone and metal, photographic images. He employs, in his drawing, salts and chemicals which his predecessors had not used. [1]

Full Length portrait of Lemaitre in Costume, very much reworked by hand. Photolithography by Piallat, and printed by Bertauts, Paris (signed in ink and dated 1868 as a proof). [Sylvie Aubenas states that Bertauts’ signature has to do with the Depot Legal and is #4161]. The Bibliotheque nationale, Paris, has four plates from this series, three of Lemaitre and one of Boutin (another actor), all by Carjat. Bertauts did all of Piallat’s prints, their shops were next to each other, Piallat at 49 Rue Rodieu and Bertauts at 47. This plate, by Piallat’s photolithographic process is extremely rare. [2]

Reproduced / Exhibited

[1] Hanson, David A. Checklist of Photomechanical Processes and Printing, 1825-1910. , 2017. p. 106.

[2] Hanson, David A, and Sidney Tillim. Photographs in Ink: [exhibition], May 1-29, 1996, University College Art Gallery, Teaneck. Teaneck: NJ, 1996. plate 7.