Lot 104
  • 104

Gustave Le Gray

Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 EUR
bidding is closed

Description

  • Gustave Le Gray
  • Souvenirs du camp de Châlons, 1857
  • album and photograph
34 albumen prints from collodion glass negative, flush-mounted to album pages. 28 with signature stamp and 4 smaller prints with photographer's stamp.
Album in-plano oblong.

Provenance

General Jacques Camou; by gift to his aide de camp Vicomte Georges des Plas; by succession to the current owner.

Literature

Charles Bousquet, La Garde Impériale au camp de Châlons en 1857, Paris, 1858, p. 246.
Sylvie Aubenas (dir.), Gustave Le Gray, 1820-1884, Paris, Bibliothèque national de France, 2002, ill. pl. 142, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, pp. 367-368.

Condition

This album is in overall good to very good condition. Reports below for each print. 1. Portrait de l'Empereur Napoléon III Very good condition. Light foxing hardly visible at the edges. 2. Portrait du général Jacques Camou Good condition. Few and light retouching. Low contrast. 3. Portrait du général Auguste Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély Very good condition. Few and light retouching. 4. Portrait du colonel Charles Waubert de Genlis Good condition. Few and light retouching. 5. Portrait du général Claude Jules Isidore Manèque Very good condition. 6. Portrait du général Claude Decaen Very good condition. Few and light retouching. 7. Camp de Châlons: l'Empereur et son état-major devant le pavillon impérial Very good condition. Few and light retouching. 8. Camp de Châlons: la messe du 4 octobre Very good condition. 9. Camp de Châlons: le général Fleury, le colonel Lepic, le lieutenant de vaisseau de Champagny, le capitaine Friant devant le pavillon impérial Good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 10. Camp de Châlons: l'artillerie de la Garde impériale Very good condition. 11. Camp de Châlons: les zouaves de la Garde impériale: la consigne Good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 12. Camp de Châlons: le repas des zouaves Very good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 13. Camp de Châlons: fête arabe improvisée par les zouaves, dessin de Bénédict Masson Very good condition. 14. Camp de Châlons: les Cent-Gardes Good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 15. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres du 3 octobre Very good condition. Great contrasts. A light vertical scratch in the lower part visible under raking light only. Few and light retouching dots. 16. Camp de Châlons: le récit Very good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 17. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres de cavalerie Good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 18. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres, route en perspective Good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 19. Camp de Châlons: en visite au camp de Châlons Good condition. Few and light retouching marks. 20. Camp de Châlons: la musique des sapeurs et les voltigeurs de la Garde Very good condition. 21. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres, route en perspective Very good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 22. Camp de Châlons: la toilette des zouaves Good condition. Few and light retouching marks. 23. Camp de Châlons: le quartier des zouaves de la Garde impériale Very good condition. Few and light retouching dots. 24. Camp de Châlons: le campement Good condition. Light retouching marks in the upper part. 25. Camp de Châlons: scène de campement Good condition. Light retouching marks in the upper part. Low contrast. 26. Camp de Châlons: feu du bivouac, dessin de Bénédict Masson Very good condition. 27. Camp de Châlons: la table de l'Empereur Very good condition. Good contrast. 28. Camp de Châlons: bivouac sur la Suippe, le quartier impérial Good condition. Light retouching marks in the upper part. 29. Camp de Châlons: le quartier de l'artillerie de la Garde impériale Very good condition. Light retouching dots. 30. Camp de Châlons: zouaves de la Garde impériale Good condition. Retouching marks. 31. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres: cavalerie de la Garde impériale Very good condition. 32. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres: artillerie et chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale Very good condition. Light retouching dots. 33. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres et civils Very good condition. 34. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres de la cavalerie de la Garde impériale de la Garde impérial Very good condition. Light retouching marks.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

In 1857, Gustave Le Gray undertook one of his largest missions assigned by the Emperor Napoléon III, documenting with photographs the military camp of Châlons which was inaugurated on 30 august 1857.  

Similar albums of "Souvenirs du camp de Châlons" are held by prestigious public collections such as Bibliothèque nationale de France and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

1. Portrait de l'Empereur Napoléon III; 2. Portrait du général Jacques Camou; 3. Portrait du général Auguste Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély; 4. Portrait du colonel Charles Waubert de Genlis; 5. Portrait du général Claude Jules Isidore Manèque; 6. Portrait du général Claude Decaen; 7. Camp de Châlons: l'Empereur et son état-major devant le pavillon impérial; 8. Camp de Châlons: la messe du 4 octobre; 9. Camp de Châlons: le général Fleury, le colonel Lepic, le lieutenant de vaisseau de Champagny, le capitaine Friant devant le pavillon impérial; 10. Camp de Châlons: l'artillerie de la Garde impériale; 11. Camp de Châlons: les zouaves de la Garde impériale: la consigne; 12. Camp de Châlons: le repas des zouaves; 13. Camp de Châlons: fête arabe improvisée par les zouaves, dessin de Bénédict Masson; 14. Camp de Châlons: les Cent-Gardes; 15. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres du 3 octobre; 16. Camp de Châlons: le récit; 17. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres de cavalerie; 18. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres, route en perspective; 19. Camp de Châlons: en visite au camp de Châlons; 20. Camp de Châlons: la musique des sapeurs et les voltigeurs de la Garde; 21. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres, route en perspective; 22. Camp de Châlons: la toilette des zouaves; 23. Camp de Châlons: le quartier des zouaves de la Garde impériale; 24. Camp de Châlons: le campement; 25. Camp de Châlons: scène de campement; 26. Camp de Châlons: feu du bivouac, dessin de Bénédict Masson; 27. Camp de Châlons: la table de l'Empereur; 28. Camp de Châlons: bivouac sur la Suippe, le quartier impérial; 29. Camp de Châlons: le quartier de l'artillerie de la Garde impériale; 30. Camp de Châlons: zouaves de la Garde impériale; 31. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres: cavalerie de la Garde impériale; 32. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres: artillerie et chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale; 33. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres et civils; 34. Camp de Châlons: manœuvres de la cavalerie de la Garde impériale de la Garde impériale