C. 1882 – A beautiful lady poses for the photographer in a photo studio in Kiel, Germany. © Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com/Photo: Waldemar Renard
The story behind the image
I acquired this Carte de Visite (CdV) image earlier this year. As so often, it does not carry any reference as to the person depicted, or the capture date. It was shot by Waldemar Renard in his studio at Sophienblatt 18 which he operated as a single owner from 1877 to 1898.
The photograph shows a woman wearing a high-necked, fitted dress blouse with long sleeves, a small stand-up collar, and a tie bow. The hairstyle – pinned up and with a hair ornament – as well as the fashion accessories (a long necklace, a locket) suggest that it was shot in the early 1880s. This is confirmed by the fact that the back of the CdV carries a printed: “Prämiirt, Kiel 1880” (award winning, Kiel 1880), so it must have been shot after 1880. Photographers of the time used such awards to promote the quality of their work.
The photographic technique and the studio setup (neutral backdrop, soft lighting) also correspond to this period.
I would therefore estimate that the photo was taken between 1880 and 1883.
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The photo studio
Gregorius Renard (1814-1885) had been a genuine photo pioneer. Apparently, as early as 1843, Gregorius had opened one of the first photo studios in the world – in Kiel!
Gregorius handed over the business to his son Friedrich Waldemar Renard (1850-1904) who married Sophie Esrom in 1877. The same year he opened the studio at the Sopienblatt 18 and operated it for 22 years. In 1899, he added his son-in-law and called the business Waldemar Renard & Voss.
According to Kiel Wiki, Waldemar Renard was busy taking photographs, and as an artist, he did not look too closely after the financial side of the business. So he did not notice that an accountant had actually ruined him. When the news broke he had a fierce debate with the employees and fired them all. Three days later, on January 9th, 1904, he died from alcohol poisoning.
Yet, further ownership changes followed, and today, the studio claims to be the oldest photo studio that is still in business (worldwide.) Read all about the team here (in German.)
Design ideas
The high resolution image
| Capture Date | c. 1882 |
| Photographer | Waldemar Renard |
| Location | Kiel, Germany |
| Image Source | 5.7 x 9.3 cm albuminum print mounted to cardboard |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 5519 x 8622 Pixels |
| Copyright | © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com/Photo: Waldemar Renard |
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