95
Anne Dixon [?–1864], she completed three presentation
albums of cyanotype photograms: Cyanotypes of British
and Foreign Ferns (c.1853), Cyanotypes of British and
Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns (c.1854), and an
unnamed third album of botanical species, feathers, and
lace (c.1861). Her photographic work was not included
in exhibitions during her lifetime but was referenced in
publications by Talbot [“On photography without the
use of silver,” in The British Journal of Photography,
XI (9 December 1864), 495] and by historian Robert
Hunt [“On the applications of science to the fi ne and
useful arts. Photography—second part,” in The Art-
Union, (1848), 237–38]. Atkins died at Halstead Place
on 9 June 1871.
See Also: Talbot, William Henry Fox; Herschel,
Sir John Frederick William; Cyanotype;
Photogrammetry; Photogenic Drawing Negative; and
Calotype and Talbotype.
Further Reading
Armstrong, Carol, Scenes in a Library: Reading the Photograph
in the Book, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1998
Batchen, Geoffrey, “Photogenics” in History of Photography,
22/1 (Spring 1998), 18-26
Sandback, Amy Baker, “Endeavor of Like Spirits: Anna Atkins
and Judy Pfaff” in On Paper 1 (May/June 1997), 28-9
Schaaf, Larry, “Anna Atkins’ Cyanotypes: An Experiment in
Photographic Publishing” in History of Photography, 6/2
(April 1982), 151-72
Schaaf, Larry, Sun Gardens: An Exhibition of Victorian Pho-
tograms by Anna Atkins, St. Andrews, Scotland: Crawford
Centre for the Arts, 1988 (exhibition catalogue)
Schaaf, Larry, Sun Gardens: Victorian Photograms by Anna
Atkins, New York: Aperture, 1985
Stretch, Bonnie Barrett, “The Case of the Forgotten Woman: A
Scholar and a Dealer Track Down a Pioneer Photographer”
in American Photographer 17 (July 1986), 22
AUBERT, FRANÇOIS (1829–1906)
French, photographer, active Mexico 1864–1867
Born in France, Aubert trained as a painter at the Ecole
des Beaux Arts in Lyon and exhibited at the 1851 Salon.
In 1864 he left for Mexico and the court of the newly-
installed Emperor Maximilian which seemed a likely
source of patronage. Shortly after his arrival in Mexico
City, the young painter learned photography and either
purchased or assumed the lease for a photographic studio
previously occupied by Jules Amiel. Aubert established
himself with offi cial portraits of the Emperor and Em-
press, as well as portraits of offi cials, ladies of the court
and military offi cers. He produced portraits in full size
and carte-de-visite formats. Work from the studio bears
the stamp Aubert et Cie and it is presumed that the work
of the studio was performed by Aubert and some number
of employee/operators. He (or his studio) is best known
for photographs of the participants and relics associated
with the execution of Maximilian by fi ring squad in- The series includes a group portrait of the fi ring
squad, Maximilian’s torn and bloody clothing, the sites
of his execution and grave, and a portrait of Maximilian
in his coffi n. Aubert offered these “historical views”
by prepaid subscription as full size prints or in carte-
de- visite sets. In 1867, Aubert left Mexico. It does not
appear that he practiced photography in Europe.
Kathleen Howe
AUCTION HOUSES AND DEALERS
By the mid-1850s several dealers in London were offer-
ing photographs for sale, mainly by British and French
photographers. Their premises were not devoted exclu-
sively to the new art: Murray & Heath, the prominent
dealers at 43 Piccadilly advertised as Photographic
Instrument Makers, while Hogarth, Hering, Gladwell
and Spooner were primarily print-sellers. They sold
individual photographs; albums and photographs pub-
lished in portfolios or books and lent works for sale toAuber, Francios. The Shirt of the Emperor, Worn During His
Execution.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gilman Collection,
Purchase. Gift of the Howard Gilman Foundation, 2005 (2005,- 213). Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.