Lot Essay
This portrait of his family was the first photograph ever taken by Lartigue, in September 1902, with the camera given to him by his father at the age of seven. In his diary Lartigue writes "Photography is a magic thing with all sorts of mysterious smells, a bit strange and frightening, but something you learn to love very quickly!...[Papa] promised me he was going to give me my own camera, my very own camera! And he did. It is made of polished wood, with a lens extension of green cloth in accordion folds. It has a big case with all the accessories. And a tripod stand, also from wood, "taller" than I am! A holder for big greenish-yellow plates, wrapped in beautiful black paper. And all sorts of other complicated things, really too heavy for a boy my size! I am so happy with my camera...it's fantastic!" (See Lartigue, Diary of a Century).
Lartigue's father helped him to develop this portrait and it was then glued onto the cabinet card mount by his mother. The later signature and annotations refer to this.
Lartigue's father helped him to develop this portrait and it was then glued onto the cabinet card mount by his mother. The later signature and annotations refer to this.