Historic Claremont

Several years ago Claremont had the opportunity to purchase the three photographs above from Sothebys. They are taken from an albumenised salt print ascribed to Vicomte Joseph Vigier.

We recently had these photographs made into beautiful cards (15.9x22.8cm) and they are now available for sale in support of the Albany Restoration Project (click here for further details). Some Past Pupils may know the room as the Gold or the Library. The cards are sold in packs of 6, two cards of each image per pack. Each pack is priced at £5.95 and are available by calling the Development Department on 01372 473625.

Joseph Vigier was one of the so-called French 'primitive' photographers, a founder member of the Societe Heliographique and the Societe Francaise de Photographie. It is unlikely that a man of his rank would have distributed his work commercially, only exhibiting them or presenting them as gifts.

The Vicomte Vigier was a member of King Louis Philippe's court and maintained the connection after the royal family's exile to Claremont in March 1848. Louis Philippe died at Claremont in 1850 but Queen Marie Amelie remained until her death in 1866. Vigier came to Claremont in 1852 to photograph members of the family, including the Duc s'Aumale, one of Louis Philippe's sons. The Duke was an avid collector of photographs and his extensive collection is housed at his former home at Chantilly, now a Musee Condee. An inventory of the Duke's collection states that it at one time included views of Claremont by Vigier.