Louis-Théophile Marie Rousselet (1845-1929) was a French traveller, writer, photographer and pioneer of the

darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, to make prints and to carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of the light-sensitive photographic materials, including film and ph ...

. His photographic work now commands high prices. Many of his drawings and photographs were made into engravings by others.

Life

The son of a wealthy

Freight forwarder A freight forwarder, or forwarding agent, is a person or company who, for a fee organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution.

, an only child; he was educated in Paris and

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

. He made

ethnological Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). ...

and

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

explorations in India and the Himalayas, He travelled to Morocco, and was a Secretary of the

Society of Anthropology of Paris The Society of Anthropology of Paris (french: Société d’Anthropologie de Paris) is a French learned society for anthropology founded by Paul Broca in 1859. Broca served as the Secrétaire-général of SAP, and in that capacity responded to a l ...

. His travels have inspired several books. He made various archaeologigal expeditions in the southern French department of

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Travels in India

He was in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

from 1864 to 1868 He spent much time in central India (

Alwar Alwar (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Hindi and Urdu, �lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region (India), National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar district, Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. ...

Baroda Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...

Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...

Gwalior Gwalior() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...

Udaipur Udaipur () (ISO 15919: ''Udayapura''), historically named as Udayapura, is a city and municipal corporation in Udaipur district of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is the administrative headquarter of Udaipur district. It is the historic capit ...

and several other cities in

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

). Roussellet wrote: "On 20 June 1863 I embarked at Marseilles on board the "Vectis", an English steamer bound for the East", he stopped off in Malta, Cairo and Aden, before boarding the "Malta" taking the Suez Canal to Bombay and India, "I intended to mainly visit all the northern region, which includes, besides the English Presidency of Bengal, the feudal states of Rajasthan, the Bundelcund, the Goundwana, The Punjab and the Kingdom of Nepal". He arrived at Bombay on 8 July 1863. While in Bombay he met "Jules Henri Jean Schaumburg" (1839-1886) a Belgian, who was to be his travelling companion from May 1865 - Sept 1868. Schaumburg was later appointed as an artist to The Geological Survey of India in Calcutta. His intention was for a 6-month trip but he stayed 4 years. He was only the second photographer (after

Samuel Bourne Samuel Bourne (30 October 1834 – 24 April 1912) was a British photographer known for his prolific seven years' work in India, from 1863 to 1870. Together with Charles Shepherd, he set up Bourne & Shepherd first in Shimla in 1863 and later in ...

) to do so. Both men's photographs were extensively made into etchings without attribution in many cases worldwide. On arrival in India he decided to learn photography (October 1865) in order to supplement his diaries. after visiting the ruins at Dabhoi, he realized that his pencil sketches were not doing justice to the beauty of the elaborate architecture and carving. He was to write, "It was on seeing these generally unknown masterpieces at Dubbhoee that I regretted I had not the power of reproducing them by photography, and felt that it would be impossible to continue my explorations profitably without the assistance of that art. As soon, therefore, as I returned to

, I applied myself seriously to learn photography; and with that view I procured from Bombay all the necessary apparatus". He took more than 600 photographs. On his return to France he published excerpts from his Indian diary along with

woodcut Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts. Areas that ...

illustrations taken mostly from his sketches and photographs in a French weekly journal ''

Le Tour du Monde ''Le Tour du monde, nouveau journal des voyages'' was a French weekly travel journal first published in January 1860. He visited the Bir Singh Dev Palace and it's lake Datia (Lala ka Taal) (1867). When in

in 1867, the two companions were presented with Sirdar costumes: "The glittering costumes ordered by the Queen consisted of long tunics of green silk gauze embossed with gold; vast petticoat pantaloons of crimson satin embroidered with silver, kumerbunds, or cashmere belts, of violet and gold, cloaks of deep scarlet-coloured cashmere embroidered with gold and silver, and to crown all, toque diadems in fine gold." He first visited Banaras (Kashi) in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

and Delhi in 1868. Rousselet then left India for the last time: "...and on the 1st September 1868, I went on board the "Labourdonnais" ... I had also to say good-bye to my good and faithful companion (Schaumburg), who was detained by fresh projects in the country. My old bearer Devi, the trusty servant who had followed me for two years through so many good and evil fortunes, was there also, melted in tears, and embracing my knees. At last the moment of parting arrived; the bell rang; I saw Schaumburg, and the old bearer pushing off in the boat, and waving me their last adieu."

After India

On return to France, in 1868, he began to work with

Goupil & Cie Goupil & Cie is an international auction house and merchant of contemporary art and collectibles. Jean-Baptiste Adophe Goupil founded Goupil & Cie in 1850. Goupil & Cie became a leading art dealership in 19th-century France, with its headquart ...

on a publishing project entitled "travel in India ML Rousselet", composed of one hundred sixty photographic plates. This publication, was intended to be prestigious, rare and expensive. Unfortunately the project nearing completion, was abandoned as the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 broke out. Rousselet was then mobilized and Goupil workshops suffered significant damage. However Rousselets extraordinary set of high quality technical and aesthetic quality photographs remained. In 1873 he became editor-in-chief of Hachette's ''Le Journal de la jeunesse'', a weekly magazine aimed at educating and entertaining youths aged between 10 and 15; the advent of World War I put a stop to it. He was also director of the new dictionary of universal geography (Hachette), an Academy Officer, and a member of the Society for the Advancement of Science The publication in 1875 by

Hachette Hachette may refer to: * Hachette (surname) * Hachette (publisher), a French publisher, the imprint of Lagardère Publishing ** Hachette Book Group, the American subsidiary ** Hachette Distribution Services, the distribution arm See also * Hachett ...

of his journal, ''The Rajahs of India'' ("L'Inde des

Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...

s"), a compilation of his notes, drawings and photographs, was a great success with a large audience. Rousselet was to remain faithful to Hachette thereafter and make a great career. In 1876 he got married in Paris, to Thérèse Trotignon, they would have four children born in 1877, 1878, 1881, and 1891. Rousselet's photographs are the most copied images published worldwide of 19th century India. His photograph collection and travel book ''L'Inde des Rajahs: Voyage Dans l'Inde Centrale, dans les Presidences de Bombay et du Bengale'' (1875) documented court life. Other photographs were of monuments and temples.

Death

Rousselet died at Vineuil and was buried at Bourré, Loir-et-Cher, in France.

Honours

Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

(Chevalier)

Palmes Académiques Palmes is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Sir Brian Palmes, English landowner and politician *Sir Guy Palmes, English politician * Brian Palmes MP *Lieutenant General Francis Palmes Lieutenant-General Francis Palmes MP ( ...

Works

* ''L'Inde des

s: voyage dans l'Inde centrale et dans les présidences de Bombay et du Bengale'' (1875) * ''India and its Native Princes'', éditions Chapman & Hall, 1876 * Les royaumes de l'Inde (1879) + " The Son of the Constable of France or the Adventures of Jean de Bourbon" (1882) * ''Nouveau dictionnaire de géographie universelle'', with Vivien de Saint-Martin * ''Au vieux pays de France'' (1906) * Sur les confins du Maroc (1912) * ''L'Inde: photographies de Louis Rousselet 1865 - 1868'', Musée Goupil, 1992

Collection

Musée d'Aquitaine The Museum of Aquitaine (French language, French: ''Musée d'Aquitaine'') is a collection of objects and documents from the history of Bordeaux and Aquitaine. History In the 16th century, the site of the Musée d'Aquitaine housed the convent o ...

, Bordeaux. The museum contains the archives (Musée Goupil) of Goupil & Cie, one of the greatest art dealers and publishers of the 19th century. The collection includes - The India photographs of Louis Rousselet 1865-1868

Expositions

* 1996, Musée des beaux-arts et d'archéologie,

Libourne Libourne (; oc, label= Gascon, Liborna ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Émil ...

* 1992,

Gallery of photographs

File:Tour Eiffel, Juillet 1888.jpg, Eiffel Tower under construction (1888) File:Galerie des Machines.jpg, Galerie des Machines de l'Exposition Universelle (1889) File:Eglise de Plozévet 1899.jpg, File:Eglise de Plozévet (1899)

Gallery of works after Rousselet

File:Le costume historique. Cinq cents planches, trois cents en couleurs, or et argent, deux cents en camaieu. Types principaux du vêtement et de la parure, rapprochés de ceux de l'intérieur de (14783957273).jpg, Costumes of India File:Le costume historique. Cinq cents planches, trois cents en couleurs, or et argent, deux cents en camaieu. Types principaux du vêtement et de la parure, rapprochés de ceux de l'intérieur de (14764084285).jpg, Costumes of India File:"Bas-relief on the left, under the gateway at Karli".jpg, Bas-relief on the left, under the gateway at Karli File:Ambir and Sambher Hindoo Jeweller.jpg, Hindoo Jeweller File:Golconda 1878.jpg, Golconda 1878 File:Ruins of the Palace of Feroze, Plains of Delhi - a wood engraving by E. Therond.jpg, Palace of

Feroze Firouz ( fa, فیروز; also spelled Farooz, Firuz, Pirooz, Firoz), Pirouz ( fa, پیروز, also spelled Pirooz, Piruz, Piroz), Feroz (Hindi/Urdu; also spelled Feroze, Phiroze), Fayrouz ( ar, فيروز), Phiroj, are masculine given names of Pers ...

, Plains of Delhi File:Queen's tomb.jpg,

Sarkhej Roza Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex located in the village of Makarba, 7 km south-west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, India. Although there are many ''rozas'' across Gujarat, the Sarkhej Roza is the most revered. Sarkhej was once a ...

near Ahmedabad File:Montage Tour Eiffel.jpg, Workers assembling the Eiffel Tower 1889

References

* ''L'Inde: photographies de Louis Rousselet 1865 - 1868''. Musée Goupil - Bordeaux, Bordeaux. (1992)

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rousselet, Louis 1845 births 1929 deaths French photographers French non-fiction outdoors writers