author
Félix Nadar
1820–1910
A restless 19th-century showman and experimenter, this French pioneer helped turn photography into an art form. He is especially remembered for his striking portraits and for pushing the medium into new territory, including some of the earliest aerial photographs.
1 Audiobook
À terre & en l'air... Mémoires du Géant
by Félix Nadar
About the author
Born Gaspard-Félix Tournachon in Paris in 1820, he became famous under the name Nadar. Before photography made him well known, he worked as a journalist, novelist, and caricaturist, moving through the lively artistic world of 19th-century Paris.
His portraits made a lasting impression because they felt direct and alive. Rather than relying on heavy props or stiff poses, he focused attention on the face and personality of the sitter, photographing many important writers, artists, musicians, and public figures of his time.
Nadar was also drawn to invention and spectacle. He was fascinated by ballooning and is credited with making some of the first aerial photographs, and he also experimented with artificial lighting for photography, including work in the Paris catacombs. He died in 1910, leaving behind a career that connected art, journalism, science, and modern image-making.