1066
which extended spectral sensitivity were launched which
had been created in collaboration with Adolf Miethe, the
successor of H.W.Vogel in Berlin, and Arthur Traube,
then assistant to Miethe. From 1904 to 1910, Traube
constantly worked with Perutz and developped a num-
ber of colour sensitive plates, preparing his own colour
photography inventions which he was to market in his
own company Uvachrome from 1910 onwards. Under
the direction of Curt Engelhorn, from 1924 to 1938,
Perutz managed to stay away from being swallowed
by the I.G.Farben concentration, and survived as an
independent fi lm producing company until its integra-
tion to the Agfa-Gevaert holding in 1964.
Rolf Sachsse
PETIT, PIERRE (1832–1909)
French photographer and studio owner
Pierre Petit practiced daguerreotype beginning in 1849
and was trained as photographer in Disdéri’s studio. In
1858, he left to join Trinquart, with whom he opened
the “Photographie des Deux mondes” the following year
at 31, Cadet place, not far from the boulevard. In 1860,
they opened a branch in and then, in 1861, they opened
another in Marseilles. In 1859, Petit started to work
with the immense project Galerie des hommes du jour,
portraits photographiés (Gallery of portraits of men of
the moment), headed by the critic Theodore Pelloquet,
which had appeared in installments since 1861. These
portraits were taken on whole plates and printed, which
was then placed on Bristol-board paperboard. Accom-
panying each portrait was a biographical note about the
person in the image. The professional singer Pauline Vi-
ardot, the journalist Alphonse Karr, the painter Eugene
Delacroix, and many others appeared in this gallery.
At the same time, Petit undertook a series of portraits
of bishops, for which he received, in 1862, the title of
“photographe de l’épiscopat français” (photographer
of the French episcopate). He created a total of 25,000
portraits of ecclesiastics. He was also interested in the
techniques of mechanical reproduction so much so that
Poitevin granted the right to him to use his process,
which guaranteed the better conservation of portraits.
Similar to his activity as a portraitist, Petit docu-
mented the Expositions Universalle. In 1855, he was
part of the “Société du Palais de l’industrie” (Company
of the Palace of Industry), which was set up by Disdéri,
and was responsible for reproducing the various sections
of the exposition. In 1867, he received along with the
young assistant Bisson, an imperial commission for the
exclusive control of reproduction of the overall pictures.
Leon and Lévy were responsible for the stereoscopic
views and Michelez for the reproductions of works of
art. Petit worked in a private house built on the exhibi-
tion site. In 1875, he reproduced the collections of the
Musée Dupuytren, totaling 85 plates. In 1878, he again
photographed the Exposition(s) Universelle. He also
made a report to the head offi ce of Paris in 1870–1871
during the Franco-Prussian war and another on the con-
struction of the Statue of Liberty in New York, between
1871 and 1886.
Petit worked with the Société française de photog-
raphie in 1875, but only took part in three of its exhibi-
tions, 1859, 1861 (with Trinquart), and 1863, each time
from various framed images. He presented portraits
primarily, but also group portraits, studies of animals,
an image of the Champs-Elysées, and reproductions of
Roman frescos. His portraits were noted by critics, who
regarded them as the best of their kind, even by the pres-
tigious Francis Wey. The Galerie des hommes du jour
was qualifi ed on several occasions as “monumental.”
Pierre Petit was appreciated by the critics and by the
public for the direct aspect of his portraits which were
simple on neutral background, and without decoration.
Critics also praised his images for their natural poses, the
frankness of the images, his skill to seize the character
of the model while playing with the various shades of
light, and for his irreproachable execution. Ernest Lacan
was one of most laudatory in this respect, evoking the
striking resemblance of his portraits: “He did not only
reproduce the features of his models, he reproduced
their true facial appearance” (La Lumière, August 13,
1859). Familiar with the parallels with painting, the
critic compared the strength of the tone and the bold-
ness of the parties captured in Petit’s portraits to the
works of the great Spanish painters. Ernest Lacan also
compared him with Nadar, his principal competitor as
portraitist on the Parisian scene. Francis Wey greeted
the way in which he managed to release all the energy
and the grandeur of the model and the critic Ladimir
greeted his artistic feeling, his manual dexterity, and his
capacity to represent intimate thoughts (Le Pays, June
24, 1861). More than the portraits of celebrities are his
fi gures of children.
In 1862, Petit published the Simples conseils ;
manuel indispensable aux gens du monde (Simple
councils; essential handbook with the society peoples),
a small work with a misleading title that moved away
from the technical handbooks that were published then.
This contained texts written on him by various critics
as well as caricatures made of him which testify to his
notoriety as a great part of his portraits were drawn
from the calling card format which allowed a broad
diffusion of them. To attract customers, Petit used the
advertising space affi xed to the buildings of his district,
that announced his establishment to the passersby. One
can see one of them on the street Laffi tte by Charles
Marville. A sign of his success was the expansion of his
establishment on the rue Cadet in 1876. On this occa-