Two Photographic Albums at the Getty and Their Relation to the Stock-Photography Market in 1860s Chile

Abstract

The J. Paul Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute possess two nineteenth-century photographic albums containing views of Chile. While the two albums appear only loosely related, they are, in fact, quite connected. Through a synopsis of several similar albums in archives in Chile and Switzerland, a number of photographs can be linked to the same circle of photographers in Valparaiso. Besides new attributions, this comparison yields insights into the photographic business in the port city, shedding light on the importance of international partnerships between studios, the consolidation of a pool of photographs from certain Chilean sites, the passing down of this image stock, and the longevity of some of the vistas as national icons.