Exhibition Review: Fashioning Femininities
Julien Vallou De Villeneuve, Deux Jeunes Paysannes Au Repos, c.1852
Oil on Panel
33.3 x 26.5 cms
Written by Sophie Mulgrew
Copy Edited by Robyn Hager
Photo Edited by Athena Abdien
What was “the selfie” before iPhones? Before self-timer? Before social media? These days, this kind of photographical “self portrait” has become an all-too-familiar practice. The advent and rise of social media has allowed and encouraged the dispersion of personal photographs of all kinds. But long before any of this, a young Italian Countess was experimenting with her own versions of self-portraiture and personal storytelling. The results of her work, along with other photographic portraits from the era, are being shown at the James Hyman Gallery in London as part of their latest exhibition “Fashioning Femininities”.
Edward Steichen, Portrait of a Woman, 1907
Vintage Platinum Print
24 x 19.6 cms
“Fashioning femininities” explores the manner in which women in the 19th century were depicted through photography. It juxtaposes the work of male photographers like Byalard and Villeneuve with that of The Countess of Castiglione. In doing so, the exhibition raises questions about the male gaze and its presence in art — particularly behind the camera. The images also highlight the empowering possibilities behind “the selfie”; even in its most historical form.
Hippolyte Bayard, Seated Woman, c.1847
Salt Print
16.5 x 12 cms
The male photographers featured are some of the most notable of their generation. Their work includes both analog photography and paintings derived from images. All of the pieces are portraits of women. In Villeneuve's “Deux Jeunes Paysannes Au Repos”, a pair of young farm girls relax in a field. They are dressed in simple but clean clothing, and recline in comfortable positions facing the viewer. Though there is a farm tool next to them, they do not appear to have been working hard; their faces are pale and placid, their hair unruffled. They are demure, yet enticing, and embody physical beauty standards of the time.
The Countess of Castiglione in collaboration with Pierre-Louis Pierson, La Comtesse Castiglione — Alta, 1861-1867
Gelatin Silver Print
14 x 15.5 cms
In contrast, “La Comtesse Castiglione ALTA” by the Countess, is a black and white photograph of the countess styled by herself in collaboration with Pierre-Louis Pierson. The Countess appears seated in a chair, her extravagantly large gown overflowing around her. She holds a book aloft and gazes towards the camera. In the background, there is the shadow of a castle and its surrounding grounds. The photo feels hyper staged and somewhat dramatic, as if the countess is poking fun at the stylized perfection in which male photographers render their female subjects. Her gaze is firm, yet shaded from underneath a large hat, giving her a seductive edge.
The Countess of Castiglione in collaboration with Pierre-Louis Pierson, La Comtesse de Castiglione — La marquise Mathilde, 1861-1867
Gelatin Silver Print
9 x 6.5 cms
In producing her own self portraits, the countess took charge of her own agency to control her image and the manner in which she was presented. She used her creative choices to craft a particular story — the same way many of us do now on social media. In this sense, “Fashioning Femininities” is a uniquely topical exhibit. Though the images were produced in the 1800’s, they function in dialogue with modernity and the nature of the photograph as it exists today, and ask important questions about who controls the narrative of image.
