Carte de visite, which is French for “visiting card,” was a self portrait that was printed and shared amongst the upper class in the mid to late 1800s. This practice was made popular by the photographer of Napoleon III, who had discovered a way to create 8 pictures on a single lithograph plate.
The cards began making a name for themselves in the 1850s, and were often used as a type of calling cards (although small business cards were the first calling cards) that were left at homes following a visit. These were not exclusive to adults; often times families would leave cards of babies and children as well, and the people who received these cards would display them in their homes.
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Often these pictures were very formal poses, and were of the entire family. A lot of these photos are of men in military uniforms, displaying any medals and rankings that were earned, to display their stature. Throughout the 1860s, the practice of these cards swept throughout Europe and eventually America. Queen Victoria was also an avid collector of these cards, which were on the decline after her reign.
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