[BERNHARDT] NADAR, Paul (1856-1939)
Period albumen print
N.p.n.d. [Paris, after 1895], cabinet format
Nice portrayal of the actress in the role of Gismonda
Fact sheet
[BERNHARDT] NADAR, Paul (1856-1939)
Period albumen print (late 19th century)
N.p.n.d. [Paris, after 1895], cabinet format (14,9 x 10,6 cm)
Thick cardboard 11 x 16,4 cm, photographer’s credit
Red edging, tiny spots
Nice portrayal of the actress in the role of Gismonda
Created at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in 1894, Gismonda is a drama by Victorien Sardou. He chose Sarah Bernhardt for the title role, as well as Lucien Guitry for the role of Almerio. The plot is a romanticized adaptation of the life of the dowager duchess of Athens, Chiara Zorzi, renamed Gismonda. The only artist available at his printer when Sarah Bernhardt personally asked him on December 24, 1894, to create the advertising poster for Gismonda, Alphonse Mucha accepted the challenge. By the morning of January 1, 1895, Paris was covered in large posters that were so successful that enthusiasts didn’t hesitate to cut them out.
“Sarah Bernhardt is, along with Réjane, one of the two inspirations for the character of La Berma in In Search of Lost Time.