Charles Baudelaire On Photography From The Salon Of 1859
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet, essayist, and art critic who lived from 1821 to 1867. He was one of the most prominent figures in the literary and artistic scene of Paris during the mid-19th century. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Les Fleurs du Mal" (The Flowers of Evil) and his influential essay "The Painter of Modern Life."
In 1859, Baudelaire visited the Salon of 1859 in Paris, where he encountered the latest developments in photography. He was fascinated by the way photography could capture the fleeting moments of modern life and the urban landscape. He wrote a series of articles for the French newspaper "Le Moniteur Universel" about photography and its role in contemporary art.
The Salon of 1859
The Salon of 1859 was an important art exhibition held in Paris. It featured works by some of the most prominent artists of the time, including Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, and Eugene Delacroix. The exhibition also showcased the latest developments in photography, which was still a relatively new medium at the time.
Baudelaire was particularly interested in the way photography could capture the fleeting moments of modern life. He believed that photography had the power to immortalize these moments and preserve them for future generations to see. He also saw photography as a way to document the rapidly changing urban landscape of Paris.
The Art of Photography
For Baudelaire, photography was a legitimate art form that could rival painting and sculpture. He believed that photography had its own unique aesthetic qualities and should not be judged solely on its ability to reproduce reality. He saw photography as a means of expressing the artist's vision and capturing the essence of modern life.
Baudelaire was particularly impressed by the work of Nadar, a French photographer who was known for his portraits of celebrities and for his aerial photographs of Paris. Baudelaire was struck by the way Nadar's photographs captured the nuances of his subjects' personalities and the way they conveyed a sense of movement and energy.
Contemporary Art
For Baudelaire, photography was an important part of contemporary art. He believed that artists should embrace new technologies and mediums in order to capture the essence of modern life. He saw photography as a way to document the changing urban landscape of Paris and to capture the fleeting moments of modern life.
Baudelaire's ideas about photography would go on to influence many of the most important artists of the 20th century. The Surrealists, for example, were particularly interested in the way photography could capture the unconscious mind and the surreal aspects of reality. The Dadaists, on the other hand, saw photography as a way to challenge traditional notions of art and to create works that were intentionally provocative and subversive.
The Legacy of Baudelaire's Ideas
Baudelaire's ideas about photography continue to be relevant today. With the advent of digital photography and social media, photography has become an even more important part of contemporary culture. Photographers and artists continue to use photography to document the world around them and to capture the essence of modern life.
Today, Baudelaire is considered one of the most important figures in the history of photography. His ideas about the medium continue to inspire and influence artists and photographers around the world.