Isabella II

This carte de visite is a faithful reproduction of Queen Isabella II, represented full-length, with dress uniform and wearing a sumptuous tiara and a pearl adornment, a sash across her chest and several decorations. Together with the carte de visite of King Consort Francisco de Asís (inv. CE30001), they were taken around 1860, barely sixteen years after Laurent came to Madrid and when he had already been named Her Majesty the Queen’s Photographer. He sold these picture cards of Royal Portraits to be kept in albums, in line with the popular custom of collecting, prevalent at the time, called cartomania. Other photographers, such as Clifford, Disdéri and Hebert, helped to form and spread the image of the Queen.