This neglect was probably due to the stereograph's more exciting presentation and world-spanning themes along with the carte de visite playing a major role in civil war soldier's portraits. Whereas the cabinet card and other miscellaneous formats such as the Boudoir, Victoria and Promenade individually did not warrant their own survey and may have been viewed as more personal expressions of portraiture and family album than educating viewers to the world around them. However, these other card photographs types played important social roles and deserve better treatment in the history of photography, which the authors provide. This title outlines the history and origin of the card photograph and provides a guide to the value of each kind of photograph and the subjects of most interest to the collector. The cabinet card was used by many actors, dancers, singers and other theatrical types as promotional items giving them a significance beyond the personal or family.
Some cabinet cards depict unusual subjects such as mascots or business related themes.
The Promenade card reflected social manners, being a format intended specifically for photographing people riding or walking on promenade. Purchase this book. Cartes de Visite in Nineteenth Century Photography. The definitve work on the carte de visite. This work is was the first comprehensive survey of the carte de visite and was done with the author's characteristic thoroughness.