Recuerdos del Per煤, between 1863 and 1871

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Summary

Creators:
Courret, Eugenio, b. 1841, photographer.
Abstract:
Photograph album, probably from 1871, containing 25 urban views of Lima, Peru, and 64 studio portraits of middle and upper class women of Lima by Eugenio Courret.
Extent:
1 album (87 photographic prints) : albumen, 34 x 47 cm (album)
Language:
Finding aid is written in English. and Materials are in English.

Background

Scope and content:

The album was most likely compiled for a tourist or visitor. As McElroy points out, "Prints of large format views were commonly mounted in albums for the visitor....Courret albums were titled Recuerdos del Per煤 (Memories of Peru), which was stamped in gold on the covers along with the name of the studio. This title seems to confirm that these pieces were made up with the intention of their leaving the country either as a traveler's souvenir or to be sent to relatives abroad" (p. 31). Perhaps this album belonged to a lady traveler, who may have wanted to add not only important views of the city to her album, but also the stylish portraits of the local ladies of society, dressed in their best, as a record of the fashions and hairstyles of the day. The wild popularity of the carte-de-visite portrait throughout the 1860s would have meant that the studios had large stocks of them on hand. Some of Courret's urban views are panoramas of Lima, often showing the Plaza de Armas, la Municipalidad, and the Cathedral from the tower of Santo Domingo, the rooftops of Lima in the foreground; the city water canal is visible in one of the panoramas, the bull ring, Plaza de Acho, in another, the Rimac River and San Crist贸bal peak in a third. Courret's photographs document the many churches of Lima; this album includes photos of the Iglesia de San Pedro, a Jesuit church built in 1624, with twin bell towers; the Iglesia de San Agust铆n with its elaborate churrigueresque facade and statue of St. Augustine above the central entrance; Iglesia de la Merced, whose sculpted facade is adorned with twisted columns; the Monastery of San Francisco, recognized by its baroque carved portal and twin towers; and the leafy interior courtyard of the Monastery. The Iglesia de Santa Mar铆a de la Caridad, no longer in existence, looms behind the statue of Bol铆var in the Plaza de la Inquisici贸n (later renamed Plaza de la Constituci贸n). The statue of Crist贸bal Col贸n, sheltering an Indian maiden with his cloak, stands in the Alameda del Acho. There are two photos of Calle Mercaderes, characterized by carved wooden balconies above, and a row of shop awnings below; in the distance at the end of the street, the arch of the Puente de Piedra can be seen, with its motto "Dios y la Patria." The final section of the album is devoted to the Parque de la Exposici贸n, which contains the Palacio de la Exposici贸n, completed in 1871 for the Gran Muestra de Artes, Ciencias e Industrias, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Peru's independence; gardens; the Glorieta Presidencial; and the ponds and small animal houses of the Zool贸gico. Alternating with the urban views are 25 leaves containing 62 portrait photos of "lime帽as," most likely women of European descent. Typically between 20 and 40 years of age, they are dressed in rich elaborate gowns of satin and velvet, featuring draped panels and trains, and adorned with ribbons, pleats, sashes, and lace trim, and pose beside a velvet tufted chair or a carved piece of furniture, their hands resting on top, often clasping fans or lace handkerchiefs. Their hair is piled high on their heads, plaited in rolls, woven with ribbons, curled, or left long in ringlets. Some of the ladies wear lace caps, silk rosettes, satin bows, or flowers in their hair. Almost all of them wear a cameo, brooch, or cross attached to a ribbon choker at the neck, and drop earrings. One of the ladies may be a bride, wearing a long white veil.

Biographical / historical:

Nineteenth-century French photographer active in Peru. Courret moved to Lima in 1860, and initially, formed a partnership with the photographer, Eugenio Maunory. However, a few years later, in 1863, Eugenio and his brother Aquiles established their own studio, Fotograf铆a Central, in the neo-roccoco Casa Courret located at 463 Calle Mercaderes in Lima. Courret went on to become the leading Peruvian portrait photographer of his time. His views of the buildings, streets, and citizens of Lima document life in that city during the second half of the 19th century.

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Physical facet:

Views of Lima (19 x 24.7 cm or slightly smaller) are mounted on rectos of 25 leaves of stiff white cardboard, one to a page, within a printed light brown border; large (14 x 9.7 cm) and small (8.7 x 5.3 cm) portrait photographs (images both rectangular and oval) are mounted on rectos of 25 alternating leaves, two or four to a page, each one mounted within a printed geometric olive brown border; none of the photos has a caption or other identifying mark.

Bound in green pebble-grain leather boards; black and gilt borders; large gilt floral corner-pieces; gold-stamped cover title "Recuerdos del Per煤;" gold-stamped name of photographer's studio, "E. Courret Fot. Lima" and blind-stamped ornamental cartouche (for owner's name?) appear below title on upper cover; gilt rules on spine; white textured glossy endpapers; all edges gilt; lower corners on upper and lower covers are reinforced with brass edges.

Spec. Coll. copy: in modern beige cloth clamshell box, with title "Recuerdos de Peru."

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Note:

Possible range of dates based on date of establishment of Courret's studio in Lima and completion date of the Palacio de la Exposici贸n as pictured in one of the photographs.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website