Lot 4138: Ponti, Carlo: Portraits

Portraits of a water carrier, an oyster seller and a mushroom seller. Circa 1860. 3 large-format albumen prints. Each circa 31,5 x 26 cm. Each mounted to board (some foxing/soiling), with photographer's blind stamp address Riva dei Schiavoni Venezia below the image on the mount; 2 with printed text on mount verso.
Slight fading in edges, one with a few foxing spots, a few retouched spots, otherwise with strong violet-brown tones and in very good condition. - With: Advertisement for the so-called Alethoscope de Charles Ponti, Opticien. 1860s. Albumen print mounted to board with French text printed above/below image. This rare object documents Carlo Ponti's origins in the technical field of photography. Before he settled in Venice as a photographer in 1852, Ponti worked five years in Cauchoix's camera studio in Paris. Ponti's technical work in photography is equally important as his artistic work. - Foxing, traces of use, crease with tear in mid portion.
Provenance: The estate of Ernst August von Hannover, 3rd Duke of Cumberland
Lit.: Bodo von Dewitz/Dietmar Siegert/Karin Schuller-Procopovici (eds.). Italien Sehen und Sterben. Photographien der Zeit des Risorgimento (1845 - 1870). Cologne 1994, compare ill. p. 113 (water carrier).