When it comes to the history of photography, it's hard to ignore Nadar. This photographer from the second half of the 19th century, Félix Tournachon, known as Nadar, clearly marked his era.
Carricature de Nadar Born in Paris on 6 April 1820, the son of a Lyonnais family who had moved to the capital, Nadar studied in Paris, as a boarder, before returning to Lyon to begin medical studies, which he stopped when his father died in 1837 in order to work to support his younger brother and mother.
He then worked as a journalist and rubbed shoulders with great names such as Baudelaire and de Narval. It was at this time that he was called Tournadar, which was later changed to Nadar and remained his artist’s name. As well as writing, Nadar also began to draw press caricatures.
At the end of the 19th century, accompanied by his younger brother, Nadar enrolled in the Polish Legion. His name was then changed to “Nadarsky. However, he was soon taken prisoner and sent back to Paris.
On his return to the capital, he took up caricature again but also actively took up photography. In fact, it was this art that would make his reputation. His speciality was portraits! As equipment was very expensive at the time, the profession of photographer was highly recognised.
Nadar wanted to go further than portraits. So he became the first aerial photographer by taking his photographic equipment on board a balloon. The first aerial photograph dates from1854.
This passion for ballooning would come in very handy in Paris. During the siege of the city in 1870-1871, Nadar founded the Compagnie des aérostiers with Camille Dartois and Jules Duruof, which built military balloons to be made available to the French government. Although very patriotic, this activity proved very costly and Nadar went bankrupt. At the end of the war, Nadar returned to photography. In 1886, he made the first photographic report in history by visiting, with his son Paul, the laboratory of the chemist Eugène Chevreul.
Nadar would later move to Marseille with his wife after leaving his studio to his son Paul. He would continue to take an interest in technological innovations in photography.
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