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Albert Lévy (photographer)

February 16, 2024

Albert Levy (1847 – 1931)[1] was a French photographer active in Europe and the United States. Most active in the 1880s and 1890s, he was a pioneer of architectural photography.

From L'Architecture Americaine. 1885. 5th Avenue at the 54th Street, New York. Built by William H. Vanderbilt's for his daughter. Architect C.B. Atwood.

He developed a catalogue with 2500 titles that is available through the Gallica web project[2] of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) as well as in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. His catalogue covers France, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. He was one of the first photographers to have studios on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: in Paris and New York.

His main contribution to history documentation was his "Albert Levy's architectural photographic Series" in the 1870s that consists of albums with 30–40 albumen prints of the Architecture of the United States, with a size of 20x24 cm approximately. There are at least 36 series.

Biography edit

Levy was born in Paris in 1847 and died in Asnières-sur-Seine.[3] However, the 1880 United States Census notes that he was 33 years old, which would put his birth date at 1847 if he was asked his "age on your birthday anniversary in 1880". Alternatively, it could be either 1846 or 1847 if asked for his age at the time of being asked (which could be before or after his birthday anniversary in 1880).[4] The New York Passengers list 1820–1957 indicates that he came to the United States in 1876 and that his occupation was photographer.[5] The 1880 Census gives his profession as bookseller.[4]

Occupation edit

There are indications that Albert Levy was a photographer who also worked variously as bookseller,[4] editor,[6] and manufacturer.[7] His main occupation was photographer.[5] Active between 1870s-1890s,[8] he worked in France in 1876 and in the United States in the 1880s and 1890s.[9] He was one of the few photographers to have two studios at the same time in America and Europe. Actually, he had several studios:

  • 77 University Place, New York
  • 4 Bond Street, New York in 1880[4]
  • 34+1⁄2 Pine Street, New York in 1887[6]
  • 19 rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin, Paris[6]
  • 22 janvier 1901, A. Lévy, 4 av. Pinel, Asnières[6]

Apart from photographer and bookseller, he was also pioneer in the manufacture of the gelatin dry plates in 1878.[10] Because of the work he developed, he was an early competitor of George Eastman.[7][11] He published several ads on "The Philadelphia Photographer" before Eastman's patent (1879):[12]

  • Levy's Emulsion Photographique Francaise Advertisement.[13]

[...] Unequalled for rapidity (fully equal to the both plate) intensity to any degree on simple development without silver or other intensifier and absolutely permanent and without change. Albert Levy sole proprietor. Preservative for dry plates (more rapid than wet) [...]

  • Levy's Dry Plates[14]
  • Levy's Cyanotipes.[15]
  • Levy's Emulsion Dry Plate Camera.[16]

Finally, he was an editor whose catalogue is in the Bibliothèque nationale de France(BnF) and in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library.

Photography edit

 
Montgomery Building, Boston by Cummings and Sears

The main occupation of Albert Levy was Architectural photography. He developed most of his work in the 1870s. He started working in Europe and then he moved to the United States when he was 33 years old, but he still worked in Europe. His catalogue of 1887 (with 2500 titles) demonstrates that he did architectural photography in France, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. The took albumen photographies that collected with the following standards:

  • Albumen 20x24 cm
  • Cardboard 29x41 cm
  • Albums with 30-40 photos each

He focused his work on the new buildings of important architects like:

Important owners of the buildings he took photos are William Henry Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vanderbilt, William Kissam Vanderbilt, Samuel J. Tilden, Oliver Ames, John Harjés.

His most important contribution to history consists on the "Albert Levy's Architectural photographic series" that are a collection[17] of at least[18] 36 albums with 30-40 albumen prints of the architecture of the United States and Europe in the 1870s. In these series there are photos of Washington, Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Albany, Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee, Zurich, Berna, Berlin and cities of France among others. He used to create the series depending on the type of buildings been photographed. Some of the series are:[19][20][21]

  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: First Series, Private City Dwellings.
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Second Series, Country Dwellings.
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Third series, French Gothic and Renaissance, Civil and Domestic Architecture, New York
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Fifth Series, Messrs. Vanderbilt's Mansions
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Ninth Series, Street Fronts.
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Tenth Series, Sea Shore Cottages and Country Houses
  • Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series: Twelfth Series, Modern Street Architecture of Berlin, Street Fronts and Apartment Houses.
  • Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series: Fourteenth Series: Romanesque and Gothic Churches in the South of France
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Sixteenth Series, American Private City Dwellings
  • Albert Levy's Architectural Photographic Series: Twenty-fourth series, Berne, Lucerne, Zurich and other Swiss cities and towns
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Thirty-First Series, Street Fronts, Stores, Office Buildings, Etc.
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Thirty-Third series, American City and Country Residences, etc., New York.
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Thirty-Fifth Series, Sea Shore Cottages And Country Houses, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Maine
  • Albert Levy's Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture: Thirty-Sixth Series, Sea-Shore Cottages, Etc., Newport, R.I., And Long Branch, N.J

A selection of this unique archive of Europe's and American Architecture in the 19th century was lately edited by Andre, Daly fils et Cie. (French editors specialized in Architecture) to collect the best of the Albert Levy's architectural series in the album "L'Architecture Americaine" and show it in Europe. This collection consists of 3 series of albums:

  • 1st Series: Public Buildings
  • 2nd Series: Private Urban Residences
  • 3rd Series: Suburban Homes

Each serie has 36 photos. All of them are described in the book "American Victorian Architecture".[22]

He participated in the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia[23]

Artwork holders edit

The main holders of his photos are:

Samples edit

Some examples of his work can be found at the HALIC (Historical Architecture and Landscape Image Collection) of the Art Institute of Chicago. Search for "Albert Levy".

References edit

  1. ^ Alonso Robisco, Manuel (2014). "Albert Levy, The Photographer". alonsorobisco.es. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  2. ^ Gallica Project
  3. ^ official archive
  4. ^ a b c d 1880 United States Census
  5. ^ a b New York Passengers list 1820–1957
  6. ^ a b c d Bibliothèque nationale de France(BnF)
  7. ^ a b "Photography and the American Scene. A social history" (1839–1889) by Robert Taft
  8. ^ "International guide to the nineteenth century photographers and their works", by Gary Edward. (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1988). In this book he is referenced as "American photographer"
  9. ^ George Eastman House
  10. ^ "Photography and the American Scene. A social history (1839–1889)" by Robert Taft. New York, Dover, 1964. Page 371
  11. ^ Eastman-Butterfield Collection
  12. ^ Kodak 2015-08-23 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ The Philadelphia Photographer. Vol XV. December 1878, nº180, page 366.
  14. ^ The Philadelphia Photographer. Vol.XV. November 1878, nº179, page 322
  15. ^ The Philadelphia Photographer. Vol. XVI October 1879, nº 190, page 310
  16. ^ The Philadelphia Photographer, March 1879, nº 183, page 95
  17. ^ "American architectural books: a list of books, portfolios, and pamphlets on architecture and related subjects published in America before 1895" by Henry-Russell Hitchcock. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis 1962. It mentions 33 series.
  18. ^ The Art Institute of Chicago owns the 36th series
  19. ^ Centre Canadien d'Architecture
  20. ^ Boston Public Library
  21. ^ Art Institute of Chicago
  22. ^ "American Victorian Architecture", by Arnold Lewis and Keith Morgan. Dover publications, 1975
  23. ^ The Philadelphia Photographer, August 1876 vol XIII nº152, pag. 228.

External links edit

  • Photos by Albert Levy at the HALIC archive of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Images of "L'architecture americaine", 1886
  • Scans of Albert Levy's catalogue at the Biliotheque Nacionale de France (BnF)

February 16, 2024
albert, lévy, photographer, albert, levy, 1847, 1931, french, photographer, active, europe, united, states, most, active, 1880s, 1890s, pioneer, architectural, photography, from, architecture, americaine, 1885, avenue, 54th, street, york, built, william, vande. Albert Levy 1847 1931 1 was a French photographer active in Europe and the United States Most active in the 1880s and 1890s he was a pioneer of architectural photography From L Architecture Americaine 1885 5th Avenue at the 54th Street New York Built by William H Vanderbilt s for his daughter Architect C B Atwood He developed a catalogue with 2500 titles that is available through the Gallica web project 2 of the Bibliotheque nationale de France BnF as well as in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library His catalogue covers France Italy Germany United Kingdom Austria the Netherlands Switzerland and the United States He was one of the first photographers to have studios on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in Paris and New York His main contribution to history documentation was his Albert Levy s architectural photographic Series in the 1870s that consists of albums with 30 40 albumen prints of the Architecture of the United States with a size of 20x24 cm approximately There are at least 36 series Contents 1 Biography 2 Occupation 3 Photography 4 Artwork holders 5 Samples 6 References 7 External linksBiography editLevy was born in Paris in 1847 and died in Asnieres sur Seine 3 However the 1880 United States Census notes that he was 33 years old which would put his birth date at 1847 if he was asked his age on your birthday anniversary in 1880 Alternatively it could be either 1846 or 1847 if asked for his age at the time of being asked which could be before or after his birthday anniversary in 1880 4 The New York Passengers list 1820 1957 indicates that he came to the United States in 1876 and that his occupation was photographer 5 The 1880 Census gives his profession as bookseller 4 Occupation editThere are indications that Albert Levy was a photographer who also worked variously as bookseller 4 editor 6 and manufacturer 7 His main occupation was photographer 5 Active between 1870s 1890s 8 he worked in France in 1876 and in the United States in the 1880s and 1890s 9 He was one of the few photographers to have two studios at the same time in America and Europe Actually he had several studios 77 University Place New York 4 Bond Street New York in 1880 4 34 1 2 Pine Street New York in 1887 6 19 rue de la Chaussee d Antin Paris 6 22 janvier 1901 A Levy 4 av Pinel Asnieres 6 Apart from photographer and bookseller he was also pioneer in the manufacture of the gelatin dry plates in 1878 10 Because of the work he developed he was an early competitor of George Eastman 7 11 He published several ads on The Philadelphia Photographer before Eastman s patent 1879 12 Levy s Emulsion Photographique Francaise Advertisement 13 Unequalled for rapidity fully equal to the both plate intensity to any degree on simple development without silver or other intensifier and absolutely permanent and without change Albert Levy sole proprietor Preservative for dry plates more rapid than wet Levy s Dry Plates 14 Levy s Cyanotipes 15 Levy s Emulsion Dry Plate Camera 16 Finally he was an editor whose catalogue is in the Bibliotheque nationale de France BnF and in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Photography edit nbsp Montgomery Building Boston by Cummings and SearsThe main occupation of Albert Levy was Architectural photography He developed most of his work in the 1870s He started working in Europe and then he moved to the United States when he was 33 years old but he still worked in Europe His catalogue of 1887 with 2500 titles demonstrates that he did architectural photography in France Italy Germany United Kingdom Austria the Netherlands Switzerland and the United States The took albumen photographies that collected with the following standards Albumen 20x24 cm Cardboard 29x41 cm Albums with 30 40 photos eachHe focused his work on the new buildings of important architects like Herter Brothers Twin Houses New York Richard Morris Hunt William Kissam Vanderbilt Residence New York George Browne Post Cornelius Vanderbilt Residence New York Henry Hobson Richardson Oakes Ames Memorial Library North Easton Massachusetts Calvert Vaux Samuel J Tilden Residence New York Charles B Atwood Dr Stewart Webb and H McKinley Twombly residences New York originally for William Henry Vanderbilt C Pfeifer The Berkshires New York E H Kendall Odgen Goelet residence New York R H Robertson Peabody and Stearns Viollet le Duc William Le Baron Jenney GuerinotImportant owners of the buildings he took photos are William Henry Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt William Kissam Vanderbilt Samuel J Tilden Oliver Ames John Harjes His most important contribution to history consists on the Albert Levy s Architectural photographic series that are a collection 17 of at least 18 36 albums with 30 40 albumen prints of the architecture of the United States and Europe in the 1870s In these series there are photos of Washington Baltimore Boston New York Philadelphia Albany Chicago Cleveland Buffalo Detroit Milwaukee Zurich Berna Berlin and cities of France among others He used to create the series depending on the type of buildings been photographed Some of the series are 19 20 21 Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture First Series Private City Dwellings Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Second Series Country Dwellings Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Third series French Gothic and Renaissance Civil and Domestic Architecture New York Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Fifth Series Messrs Vanderbilt s Mansions Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Ninth Series Street Fronts Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Tenth Series Sea Shore Cottages and Country Houses Albert Levy s Architectural Photographic Series Twelfth Series Modern Street Architecture of Berlin Street Fronts and Apartment Houses Albert Levy s Architectural Photographic Series Fourteenth Series Romanesque and Gothic Churches in the South of France Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Sixteenth Series American Private City Dwellings Albert Levy s Architectural Photographic Series Twenty fourth series Berne Lucerne Zurich and other Swiss cities and towns Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Thirty First Series Street Fronts Stores Office Buildings Etc Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Thirty Third series American City and Country Residences etc New York Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Thirty Fifth Series Sea Shore Cottages And Country Houses Bar Harbor Mount Desert Maine Albert Levy s Photographic Series of Modern American Architecture Thirty Sixth Series Sea Shore Cottages Etc Newport R I And Long Branch N JA selection of this unique archive of Europe s and American Architecture in the 19th century was lately edited by Andre Daly fils et Cie French editors specialized in Architecture to collect the best of the Albert Levy s architectural series in the album L Architecture Americaine and show it in Europe This collection consists of 3 series of albums 1st Series Public Buildings 2nd Series Private Urban Residences 3rd Series Suburban HomesEach serie has 36 photos All of them are described in the book American Victorian Architecture 22 He participated in the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia 23 Artwork holders editThe main holders of his photos are Architektur Sammlung of the Technische Hochschule in Munich Art Institute of Chicago Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Bibliotheque nationale de France BnF Boston Public Library Centre Canadien d Architecture George Eastman House J Paul Getty Museum Library of Congress of the United States Metropolitan Museum Ministere de Culture France Santa Barbara Museum of Art University of Louisville University of Wisconsin MilwaukeeSamples editSome examples of his work can be found at the HALIC Historical Architecture and Landscape Image Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago Search for Albert Levy References edit Alonso Robisco Manuel 2014 Albert Levy The Photographer alonsorobisco es Retrieved May 7 2014 Gallica Project official archive a b c d 1880 United States Census a b New York Passengers list 1820 1957 a b c d Bibliotheque nationale de France BnF a b Photography and the American Scene A social history 1839 1889 by Robert Taft International guide to the nineteenth century photographers and their works by Gary Edward Boston G K Hall 1988 In this book he is referenced as American photographer George Eastman House Photography and the American Scene A social history 1839 1889 by Robert Taft New York Dover 1964 Page 371 Eastman Butterfield Collection Kodak Archived 2015 08 23 at the Wayback Machine The Philadelphia Photographer Vol XV December 1878 nº180 page 366 The Philadelphia Photographer Vol XV November 1878 nº179 page 322 The Philadelphia Photographer Vol XVI October 1879 nº 190 page 310 The Philadelphia Photographer March 1879 nº 183 page 95 American architectural books a list of books portfolios and pamphlets on architecture and related subjects published in America before 1895 by Henry Russell Hitchcock University of Minnesota Press Minneapolis 1962 It mentions 33 series The Art Institute of Chicago owns the 36th series Centre Canadien d Architecture Boston Public Library Art Institute of Chicago American Victorian Architecture by Arnold Lewis and Keith Morgan Dover publications 1975 The Philadelphia Photographer August 1876 vol XIII nº152 pag 228 External links editPhotos by Albert Levy at the HALIC archive of the Art Institute of Chicago Images of L architecture americaine 1886 Scans of Albert Levy s catalogue at the Biliotheque Nacionale de France BnF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Albert Levy photographer amp oldid 1189037189, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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