A.C. PHOTOGRAPHER SWITZERLAND CANTON OF GRISONS PRATTIGAU STEREOVIEW 1860'S

Description: Photographs throughout Ad: Offered for auction from a recent Estate sale is the following AN EARLY 1860’s SHARP SQUARE CORNERED STEREOVIEW PHOTOGRAPHED BY A.C. POSSIBLY ATHANASE CLOUZARD, FRANCE AS FOLLOWS BELOW -- The stereoview is in very good condition as photos will show some old age toning is present considering the stereoview is at minimum 150 years old. View photos for condition. Below I have listed the title of the stereoview.-- NO. 618 SUISSE. - CANTON DES GRISONS - PRATTIGAU - GORGE DE SEEVIS. Also noted the same title in German SCHWEIZ - KANTON GRAUBUNDEN translated to English (SWITZERLAND CANTON OF GRISONS) (PHOTO. A.C.) --Below I have added information on the Canton of Grisons and information on Athanase Clouzard. Below I have added photos and information on the scene and the photographer as noted above. From the information I have been able to locate I believer that Athanase Clouzard was in business from the 1850 with glass portraits and later with stereoviews. I believe that this stereoview is dated in the 1860’s period. CANTON OF GRISONS The Grisons or Graubünden (German) more formally the Canton of the Grisons or the Canton of Graubünden, is one of the twenty-six cantons of Switzerland. It has eleven districts, and its capital is Chur. The German name of the canton, Graubünden, translates as the "Grey Leagues", referring to the canton's origin in three local alliances, the Three Leagues. The other native names also refer to the Grey League: Grischùn in Sutsilvan, Grischun in the other forms of Romansh, and Grigioni in Italian. Rhaetia is the Latin name for the area. The Alpine ibex is the canton's heraldic symbol. The largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland, it is also one of the three large southern Alpine cantons, along with Valais and Ticino. It is the most diverse canton in terms of natural and cultural geography, as it encompasses both sides of the Alps and several natural and cultural regions. The diversity of the canton is often compared to that of Switzerland as a whole and warrants it the name of "Little Switzerland" The Grisons is bordered by four cantons as well as Austria, Italy and Liechtenstein. The state is the only trilingual canton of Switzerland. It is also the only one where Romansh, Switzerland's fourth national language, has official status. Romansh language and culture is an important part of local identity. In 2020 the canton had a population of 200,096. It is the least densely populated canton of Switzerland. The only sizable city in the canton is Chur, as the majority of the population lives in mountainous areas, including some of the most remote valleys of the country. One of the birthplaces of winter sports, the canton is a major tourist destination year-round, including a large number of Alpine resort towns, notably Davos and St. Moritz. The canton is also renowned for its extensive narrow-gauge railway network, operated by the Rhaetian Railway, and linking the capital with most valleys of the Grisons. Formerly occupied by the Rhaeti, most of the lands of the canton became part of the Roman province called Raetia, which was established in 15 BC, with Curia, a settlement dating back to the Pfyn culture, as capital city. The area later became part of the lands of the diocese of Chur. The late middle ages saw the foundation of the League of God's House, the Grey League and the League of the Ten Jurisdictions. In 1471 an alliance gave birth to the Three Leagues, and before the end of the 15th century, the latter became an ally of the Old Swiss Confederacy. In 1803 the Three Leagues finally became one of the cantons of the Confederation. The Prättigau, in the canton of Graubünden (Grisons), Switzerland, is the geographical region consisting of the main valley of the river Landquart and the valleys of its side-rivers and creeks. Landquart River, which drains into the Alpine Rhine in the town of the same name, is on its upper end home to the ski resorts of Klosters. A.C. ATHANASE CLOUZARD:It is unclear where Jacques Joseph Athanase Clouzard (1820-1903) was born or died. Clouzard was a "painter on glass" since at least 1844. After photography on glass was discovered by Niepce de Saint Victor, Clouzard searched for a way to apply color to such photographs. On 11th of November 1851, Athanase Clouzard, Louis This, Alfred Sarrault and several others formed a company called "Sarrault et Cie" which worked on developing their own methods of painting over photographs on glass in a way similar to that of Charles Soulier. In August of 1853 Sarrault leaves the company and the partners are joined by Charles Soulier. At the same time the firm is renamed "This, Soulier, Clouzard et Cie". At the same time, In August of that year, the company files for a patent describing a method of painting over stereoscopic images. In 1854 Soulier and Clouzard form a separate company from This and launch a business of taking and selling their own stereoviews. (The original business was sold to a German firm Bernard, Voigt et Cie. in 1856.) One of their major innovations was to develop a method of manufacturing of glass stereoviews that contained just two pieces of glass. This made such stereoviews both cheaper and lighter. All major glass stereoview makers followed this method ever since. The company of Soulier and Clouzard was one of the main competitor of Claude-Marie Ferrier in the making of stereoscopic photographs on glass. Already in 1854 they started supplying Dubosq. In 1855 Soulier and Clouzard participate in the International Exhibition in Paris and receive a second class medal for their work. In 1857 the firm receives a medal at the art exhibition in Brussels. By 1859 the firm had more than 700 views of France, Germany, Austria, and Spain. On the 9th of June, 1859 Clouzard sells his part of the company and the rights to the whole collection of stereoviews to Soulier. Clouzard continues to work in photography. In 1860 his former partner, Soulier, sues him in court charging that Clouzard took a shot of Prague that was too similar to the photograph from their old collection. Since Clouzard sold his rights to all previous images, Soulier stated, it was not appropriate for Clouzard to sell a view so similar. In an important decision the court rejected the charges of Soulier and stated that photographers are at will to take any shots of public buildings without paying a tribute to whichever photographer discovered this point of view earlier. This information came from an article titled “The Third Dimension, History of stereoscopic views”. Please view photos for condition. The stereoview appears to be in very good condition as photos show. For an early 1860’S’s period stereoview contrast is very good but does have old age toning as photos will show. No chips or cracks present as photos will also show. Light corner ware present from usage over the past 150 or so years. Discoloration spot on back most likely from moisture of some type. Light discoloration on frame ends as photos will also show. I will accept PAYPAL. Items will be shipped first class mail usually next day after payment of Paypal, packaging and mail $3.45. I will combine shipping 1 to 3 views $3.45, 3 to 6 views $5.35 and over 6 no additional postage or shipping charge. I will ship internationally, payment must be in US funds, Paypal. I will ship world wide International first Class Mail 1 stereoview for $12.47 and will combine ship.

Price: 17.95 USD

Location: Gorham, Maine

End Time: 2024-09-25T20:46:09.000Z

Shipping Cost: 3.45 USD