Military portrait - G. Durand, Châlons-sur-Marne (ca. 1880)

An impressive French carte de visite portrait of a military man in a richly decorated uniform, photographed around 1880 by G. Durand, located at Rue des Trésoriers 2 & Rue de Vaux 36, Châlons-sur-Marne.
The man wears a ceremonial uniform with cord decoration and a saber, typical of the French cavalry or guard from the Third Republic.
The reverse is elegantly printed in bronze-colored ink with medals from exhibitions from 1874, a characteristic of photographers who liked to mention their awards as a seal of quality.

Technique: Albumen print on cardboard (carte de visite)
Dimensions: approx. 10 × 6.3 cm
Condition: Very good; slight aging at the top edge
Provenance: Châlons-sur-Marne, France

Photographer G. Durand was active in northeastern France, a region with a strong military presence during the Franco-German tensions of the 19th century.
The portrait exudes strength and discipline, but also the refined aesthetics of French portrait art.