The main account on modern photography by Silvy is the marketing in the studio and his cleverness a a "buzz" maker.
In the book "quand j'était photographe" (when I was a photographer) by Nadar, he is been said to have build a special studio for the purpose of photographing the queen Victoria with this inscription on the door "Queen's Studio". This studio was always unused, closed but the door was pierced with a small window, so the people who been there to be photographed indulged their curiosity on their way to the main studio. so the high society of the time rushed to be portrayed where the royalties seems to have their habits. Of course the Queen never came.
He is also said to have a pile of pristine white gloves on the lobby drawer, and use to change them before welcoming new customer on the premises. And to have of bowl to dispose of the "dirty" ones after the shoot.
he made a big step on creating a bespoke industry on photographic portraits with for example signature stamps:
and made to measure parcel boxes and the clever system of ordering catalogues.
The exhibition was quite interesting mostly because in my opinion Silvy is very underrated as an artist, which is always opposed to businessman. Despite a very dim light which is not very useful very you are looking at picture smaller than 4*6" and the fact that the works presented covers a far too long periods (I wish they would concentrate on a particular period) that lead to a ill-assorted lot. In addition there was a small but useful explanation on the techniques used such as albumen print, wet colodion and the principle of multiple negative on one image, not to be said that that the photos were in perfect conditions due to their age. And last but not least a nice arrangement of side material such as the dress, pendants parcel boxes, books, etc...
....Ahhhh Europe!
