Charles Hippolyte Aubry (1811–1877): Pioneer of Botanical Photography
Early Career and Design Influence
Born in Paris in June 1811, Charles Hippolyte Aubry spent over three decades working as an industrial designer—creating patterns for fabrics, wallpaper, and carpets. In 1864, at around age 53, he turned to photography as an extension of his craft, seeing it as a tool to generate accurate botanical models for art and design education. Musée d'Orsay+12BnF Catalogue+12The Metropolitan Museum of Art+12artblart.com+3luminous-lint.com+3I Photo Central+3
Photography as Industrial Art
Aubry produced about 150–200 botanical photographs in 1864 alone, using large glass-plate collodion negatives printed on albumen paper. Many subjects were leaves, flowers or still-life arrangements, often placed on cloth or lace backgrounds. His background in decorative design is evident in the compositions: flat, symmetrical, and detailed—echoing lithographic plates used in industrial arts.Robert Klein Gallery+1Robert Klein Gallery+1
He employed a unique technique of dipping plant materials in plaster before photographing them. This method enhanced three-dimensionality, improved contrast, and mitigated how poorly the collodion process captured green tones.Musée d'Orsay+1I Photo Central+1
Ambitious Vision Met with Challenges
Aubry intended to offer these photographic models to industrial and drawing schools as a teaching resource, proposing that the French government acquire his entire series for distribution. But cultural resistance to photography in the arts, along with shifting decorative trends toward stylized motifs, meant institutions rejected his offering. He declared bankruptcy by early 1865 and closed his studio.Musée d'Orsay+13The Metropolitan Museum of Art+13The Metropolitan Museum of Art+13
Despite this setback, Aubry continued to market his prints sporadically into the 1870s and counted on clients including the Gobelins tapestry workshops, Tiffany in America, and schools in France and abroad. He relocated near Paris during a quieter period and returned briefly to Paris around 1872 before his death in 1877.I Photo Central+1Musée d'Orsay+1
Artistic Legacy and Recognition
Though his aim was practical—to replace lithographs—Aubry’s photographs possess surprising aesthetic qualities. Critics and curators today praise them for “dazzling luminosity,” sculptural presence, and visual precision. His work is often compared to that of later avant-garde botanical photographers such as Karl Blossfeldt.sunpictures.com+2finebooksmagazine.com+2finebooksmagazine.com+2
Major museums now hold his photographs, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Art Institute of Chicago, J. Paul Getty Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Photographic Society, and the Musée d'Orsay and Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.Robert Klein Gallery+1Robert Klein Gallery+1
Exhibitions of his work have taken place at the Bibliothèque nationale (Galerie Colbert, 1996) and multiple displays at the Musée d'Orsay around 1999 and 2011, highlighting his still‑life arrangements and botanical meticulousness.sunpictures.com
Some notable works include:
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Study of Leaves on a Background of Floral Lace (1864) – leaf studies dipped in plaster to emphasize form and texture. Musée d'Orsay+3The Metropolitan Museum of Art+3The Metropolitan Museum of Art+3
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Still Life with Peonies and Peaches – examples of his elegant compositions blending natural elements and design.Wikimedia Commons+1I Photo Central+1
Significance in Photography History
Aubry's venture came at a moment when photography was still seen as mechanical and secondary to traditional visual arts. His ambition to integrate it into design education was ahead of its time. His painstaking methods—long exposures, plaster dipping, and composing for texture—yielded images that bridged art, science, and industry.Wikipedia+5sunpictures.com+5The Metropolitan Museum of Art+5
A century later, his photographs are appreciated for their formal beauty and historical innovation. Works by Aubry have fetched high auction prices—such as $137,500 for one of his leaf studies in 2017—underscoring his modern cultural value.finebooksmagazine.com+1finebooksmagazine.com+1
In Summary
Charles Hippolyte Aubry was a designer turned photographer whose botanical still lifes were conceived as practical teaching tools but emerged as masterful visual statements. His approach to texture, composition, and botanical accuracy set him apart from both his contemporaries and later photographers. Though underappreciated in his own time, his legacy endures as a crucial chapter in the history of art, photography, and design.
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