Bouquet from the Ocean
SOLD September 2012 |
Unique French CDV-format arrangement of pressed ocean seaweeds circa 1880. Titled front "Bouquet de l'Ocean" (Bouquet of the Ocean) and "STENFORT, Preparateur / DEPOSE / Maison de Vente MANGEL r.de. Siam 60, Brest."
Taking a step beyond the photograph, this unique carte-de-visite reaches the pinnacle of realism by attaching the actual pressed seaweeds themselves. They appear to be fully intact with the possible exception of one small bit of the lowest seaweed at base of bouquet which might be missing. The pressed flora retain bright colors of green, purple and brown. While these colors may have been dyed onto the specimens at time of mounting, presumably the dye colors chosen would be intended to represent the actually colors of the weeds in life.
Brest, from which this carte hails, is large a coastal town in Brittany, France
