Scherzo di Follia - Pierre-Louis Pierson Art Print / Canvas

$35USD
  • Forget cheap copies or printable posters
  • Bold & breathtaking for up to 100 years
  • 3 frame colors — delivered ready to hang
  • True-to-life tones from non-toxic pigment inks
Size
Art Print or Canvas?
★★★★★ "Delighted, all as described." — Clare
★★★★★ "Gorgeous print. Brilliant communication!" — Aaron
★★★★★ "Quality and colors outstanding." — Roumayne
★★★★★ "Delighted, all as described." — Clare
★★★★★ "Gorgeous print. Brilliant communication!" — Aaron
★★★★★ "Quality and colors outstanding." — Roumayne
★★★★★ "Delighted, all as described." — Clare
★★★★★ "Gorgeous print. Brilliant communication!" — Aaron
★★★★★ "Quality and colors outstanding." — Roumayne
Made to order in USA, UK, EU + AUS
Shipped in 2-4 days
Love it or return it in 30 days
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About this treasure

Artwork Description

Virginia Oldoini, mistress of Napoleon III, presses a small black passe-partout against her cheekbone and lets the oval window do the seducing. The fingernail of soft warm gray behind her, the slate cool of her draped silk, the ivory pallor of skin — Pierson's chemistry catches every register of fin-de-siècle melancholy. 

The cardboard frame she presses to her temple is a blank cameo, a hole punched through Second Empire decorum. Her off-shoulder gown spilling into shadow along the lace flounce that pools across her lap.

Oldoini choreographed the pose herself, ringed finger crooked, mouth set, gaze pointed and perfected. Scherzo di Follia, jest of madness, distilled the salons of the Tuileries through her, as well as the seclusion that followed 1870, and the camera's earliest collaboration with a woman who refused to be merely seen.

Artist Biography

Pierre-Louis Pierson (1822–1913) was a French portrait photographer born in Hinckange, Moselle, whose studio on the Boulevard des Capucines became the most coveted address of Second Empire Paris. Partnered with the Mayer brothers from 1854, the Mayer & Pierson firm pioneered hand-colored daguerreotypes, earned the patronage of Napoléon III, and photographed royalty from Württemberg to Sweden. His lens defined an era of power dressed in silk.

His collaboration with Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione — spanning forty years and over 700 images — transformed portrait photography into theatrical self-invention, anticipating the photographic self-portrait as art form. Works such as Scherzo di Follia, held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, remain landmarks of nineteenth-century photography and mise-en-scène. Later, through the Braun Company, Pierson's photographic reach extended to the Musée du Louvre itself.

Size
Art Print or Canvas?
Product information

Produced on Demand

Your new treasure gets produced after you purchase at print labs across the USA, UK, EU & AUS. Significantly minimising landfill waste by only making things people actually want.

Average Production Time

After you purchase, expect your new treasure to be produced, quality checked, packed with care and handed over to trusted shipping carriers within 72-96 hours on average.

Powered by Prodigi

I work with Prodigi to create all the products on my store. Their international network of print labs:

1. Ensure your new treasure's made as close to you as possible. Reducing delivery times and carbon emissions from the print lab to your front door.

2. Adhere to anti child labour and anti forced labour regulations. Providing safe and generous working environments for all staff.

3. Provide traceability for core raw materials from suppliers. 

4. Screen suppliers for compliance with fair labor and sustainability standards.

Cost

Free shipping to USA, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand & more: see full list here.

Production + Delivery =

USA: 4-9 days • Canada: 5-12 days • UK: 4-9 days • Europe: 5-10 days • Australia: 4-9 days • NZ: 5-12 days • Rest of the world: 3-4 weeks

Every package tracked from A to B to You.

Sent carbon neutral at no extra charge.

Peace of mind your money's being kind.

More on orders & shipping.

30 Day Returns

1. You're welcome to open a return / exchange request within 30 days of your order's delivery. All items for return must be delivered back in their original condition, with their original packaging included.

2. No guarantees your return will be approved if you send items back before the approval of your return request.

3. No returns, refunds or exchanges on discounted or sale items.

Read the step-by-step returns process.

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Fine Art Prints

Heavyweight 200gsm fine art stock. Smooth, clean finish and natural white tone. Ideal for photography, bold graphics and illustrations.

All Gems, No Junk
Every piece of wall art is made to order, because I only produce things people actually want. And your new treasure will be handcrafted by a specialist in the USA, UK, EU or AUS.
Classic wood frames
Chevron cut frames crafted from solid FSC® sustainable wood. Ultra-clear perspex glaze + 2" archival-grade matboard. Delivered ready to hang.

Heavyweight 200gsm fine art stock with a smooth, clean finish and natural white tone that stays beautifully consistent – ideal for photography, bold graphics and illustrations.

Choose a white border for a fresh look or no border for an immersive viewing experience.

Black: Suits almost any style, anywhere, all the time. White: Helps art shine brighter in dark rooms to lift your mood. Natural: Infuses warmth wherever it goes with rich, honeyed tones.

All framed art prints come with a 2" / 5cm archival-grade matboard — just like you see in museums and galleries.

Luxe artist-grade canvas

38mm cotton canvas stretched over European knotless pine. Luxurious, matte finish. Renders image depth & detail with outstanding clarity.

A century of color
Forget 4 color CMYK. Giclée printing layers up to 12. Alive with deeper shadows, richer highlights and multidimensional contrasts for up to 100 years.
Premium float frame
FSC® Certified European knotless pine for canvas substrate. Milled with curved profile to protect canvas damage. Finished with sleek float frame in 3 distinctive colors.

Thin frame sits apart from the edge of the canvas helping to create a floating border and sleek, gallery-worthy effect. Sustainably sourced FSC® certified European knotless pine.

Make any room a showpiece. Luscious artist-grade cotton canvas, finely textured for depth and precision. Hand-stretched and natural white to capture light/color with striking clarity.

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