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CALDESI, LEONIDA & MONTECCHI
Library of Congress before moving to Mamaroneck,
New York and entering the journalistic ranks. A prolifi c
writer, he served three New York newspapers, New York
Evening Post (1897–1900), New York Sun (1901–1904)
and New York American (1913–1918). He also held
the position of art critic for two infl uential publica-
tions, Harper’s Weekly (1897–1901) and the American
supplement to International Studio (1901–1905). His
landmark article, “The New Photography,” appeared
in Munsey’s Magazine (1902). Caffi n wrote pieces on
photography for Century Magazine and Everybody’s
Magazine while fi nding time to publish dozens of
articles on other forms of art and to also lecture for
clubs and school groups. A member of Photo-Secession
(later 291 group) between 1908–1917, he wrote often
for Alfred Stieglitz’s Camera Notes and Camera Work.
His 1901 book Photography as a Fine Art cemented
him as the photographer’s friend by portraying Photo-
Secession as part of the modern art world. In 1905,
he penned “The Development of Photography in the
United States” for the art journal, International Studio.
His art books include American Masters of Painting
(1902) and American Masters of Sculpture (1903). The
Story of American Painting appeared in 1907, followed
by books on Dutch, Spanish and French painting. Caf-
fi n summarized his art theories in Art for Life’s Sake
(1913). How to Study Pictures (1905) may be Caffi n’s
most infl uential work since it had wide distribution in
schools throughout the country. He held membership
in the National Arts Club. Active until the end, Caffi n
died on 15 January 1918 in New York City.
See Also: Stieglitz, Alfred; White, Clarence H.; and
Steichen, Edward.
Further Reading
Caffi n, Charles H., Photography as a Fine Art, Introduction by
Thomas F. Barrow, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York: Morgan
and Morgan, 1971.
Goldberg, Vicki, Photography in Print: Writings from 1816 to
the Present, New York: Touchstone Books, 1981.
Underwood, Sandra Lee, Charles H. Caffi n: A Voice for Modern-
ism, 1897–1918, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfi lms
International Research Press, 1983.
CAIRE, NICHOLAS JOHN (1837–1918)
Australian photographer
Caire was born in Guernsey and probably arrived with
his family in Adelaide, South Australia in 1858 aboard
the Bee. Initially working as a hairdresser, he then
trained in photography in Townsend Duryea’s studio.
In 1865 he travelled to the Gippsland district of Vic-
toria photographing the aborigines and the landscape.
In 1866 he opened a studio at 97 Hindley St, Adelaide
producing carte-de-visite portraiture. In 1869 he moved
to the Victorian goldfi elds, fi rst working in Talbot then
he opened a studio in View Place, Bendigo around- In 1876 Caire took over Thomas Chuck’s studio
in the Royal Arcade, Melbourne, in 1878 he managed
the (Anglo) Australasian Photo Co. at 57 Bourke St.,
East, Melbourne then he took over A. J. Davis’ Bristol
Portrait Rooms at 139 Bourke St. By 1880 he returned
to his former location and opened the Royal Arcade
Portrait Rooms producing carte-de-visite and cabinet
photo portraiture. From 1884 he worked from his
home in South Yarra. He made frequent tours of the
countryside taking landscape photographs that were
sold mounted on card or in albums. These had been his
stock in trade since his arrival in Victoria and he was
a great champion of the bush, even publishing a book
with photographer J. W. Lindt “Companion Guide to
Healesville etc.” in 1904.
Marcel Safier
CALDESI, LEONIDA (1823–1891) &
MONTECCHI
London-domiciled Italian photographersLeonida Caldesi was born in Florence, Italy in 1823 and
arrived in England as a political refugee around 1850,
though whether he was a photographer at this time is
not clear. His brother Vincenzo (1817–1870) served as a
major on the staff of the Italian patriot and revolutionary
Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–1882).
Comparatively little is known about Caldesi’s career
though he was one of the leading London photographers
during the 1850s and was acknowledged by contem-
poraries as one of the foremost photographers of fi ne
art from the 1850s to the 1870s. He had a number of
short-term professional partners including Mattia Mon-
tecchi (1858–59), Blandford (1861–62) and Lombardi,
though throughout his career he maintained a business
relationship with the print publisher and art dealer Paul
and Dominic Colnaghi. Caldesi had important dealings
with the Royal Family as well as three major public art
collections in London; The National Gallery, the British
Museum and the South Kensington Museum. He also
carried out society portraiture and worked for learned
societies and private collectors.
In August 1854, probably as part of a project lead by
Paul and Dominic Colnaghi, Caldesi had requested per-
mission to photograph the Raphael Cartoons at Hampton
Court though he did not carry out his campaign until
1858 when he photographed in tandem with the South
Kensington Museum’s photographer Charles Thurston
Thompson [qv].
1857 was probably the most important year in
Caldesi’s photographic career. In May Caldesi and his