Pending its reopening, here is a virtual visit of sculptures at the Louvre museum by Léopold Mercier around 1900.
From the 1880s, Léopold Mercier had in Paris and Cabourg a lucrative activity as a photo editor producing photographic reproductions of works of art and publishing works such as L’Histoire de l’Art en Image by Emile Bayard. Located in Paris 27 rue de Ponthieu, he presents his house on small sky blue business cards which bear the flattering mention of “Gold and silver medals – Paris 1889 – Paris 1889 / Photography of the Champs-Elysées”; he regularly publishes small advertising leaflets on which appear in alphabetical order the long list of works of painters and sculptors appearing in the catalog of the studio. Léopold Mercier also produced photographic reports on artists’ studios, during artistic exhibitions or major Parisian events, such as the Buffalo Bill circus in Paris in 1905 with a magnificent series of Sioux portraits. He sold his activity in 1913 to retire to his villa in Cabourg. This large format glass plate collection was acquired by the Roger-Viollet Agency at the same time as the premises at 6, rue de Seine in 1938.
Agence Roger-Viollet
6, rue de Seine 75006 Paris
