[the letter is in the NMeM and its envelope in the BL]
107. Regent Street <1>
12 Novbr 1853.
Monsieur,
J’ai le projet de couvrir les murs de la salle de réception de mon établissement de peintures représentant l’histoire allégorique de la Photographie. Le haut sera garni d’une bordure contenant plusieurs médaillons destinés à recevoir les portraits des inventeurs de la photographie & des principaux savants qui ont contribué à ses perfectionnements. Le vôtre & celui de Daguerre <2> auront la place du centre & tous les autres suivront à droite & à gauche.
Pour exécuter ce projet j’ai besoin d’une complaisance de votre part, qui consisterait à me prêter votre portrait si vous l’avez, & j’espère que vous ne me refuserez pas cette faveur. Je prefererais un portrait photographique. Je crois me rappeler avoir eu l’honneur de faire votre Daguerreotype <3> & si vous avez conservé cette épreuve qui était bien imparfaite, peut-être qu’elle suffirait à l’artiste. Mais s’il vous était possible de me faire une visite, il serait préférable d’en essayer un autre dans la position qui convient au médaillon, c’est-à-dire un profil.
Je serais d’autant plus charmé de recevoir votre visite, que cela me donnerait l’occasion de vous montrer mon établissement qui je crois fait honneur à la Photographie, & de vous expliquer la manière dont je me propose de traiter la peinture allégorique.
Je profite de cette occasion pour vous adresser un extrait de mes mémoires sur le Stereoscope <4> que M. Lerebours vient de publier à Paris.
Agréez, Monsieur, l’assurance de ma considération très distinguée.
A. Claudet
&c. &c.
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esqre F.R.S.
&c &c
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Great Bank
Keswick
Chippenham
Translation:
107. Regent Street
12 November 1853.
Sir,
I intend to cover the walls of the reception room in my establishment with paintings representing the allegorical history of Photography. The upper part will be decorated with a border containing several medallions which are intended for the portraits of the inventors of photography & the principal scientists who have contributed to its improvement. Your portrait & that of Daguerre will be in the centre & all the others to the left & right.
In order to carry out this project, I need you to do me the kindness of lending me your portrait if you have it, & I hope that you will not refuse me this favour. I would prefer a photographic portrait. I think I recall having had the honour of making your Daguerreotype & if you have kept this proof, which was far from perfect, it may be enough for the artist. But if it were possible for you to pay me a visit, it would be preferable to try to make another in the position suitable for a medallion, namely a profile.
I would be all the more delighted to receive a visit from you as this would give me an opportunity to show you my establishment, which, I believe, does Photography credit, & to explain the way in which I propose to deal with the allegorical painting.
I am taking advantage of this opportunity to send you an extract from my memoires on the Stereoscope which Mr Lerebours has just published in Paris.
Please accept, Sir, my highest regards.
A. Claudet
H. Fox Talbot Esq. F.R.S.
&c.&c.
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esqre F.R.S.
&c &c
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Great Bank
Keswick
Chippenham
Notes:
1. London.
2. Claudet's 'Temple of Photography' was lavishly decorated with paintings, medallions and friezes, intended to place photography within the progress of science. While no photographs of the interior have been traced (and none are likely), it was described in "Galerie photographique de M. Claudet," La Lumière, 22 July 1854, pp. 114-115. Sadly, Claudet's studio was destroyed by fire shortly after his death.
3. Probably a portrait of WHFT with a daguerreotype case and a magnifying glass, taken about 1845, reproduced in H.J.P. Arnold, William Henry Fox Talbot: Pioneer of photography and man of science (London: Hutchinson Benham, 1977), p. 96.
4. Antoine Claudet and Ferdinand Colas, Du Stéréoscope et de ses applications à la Photographie, (Paris: Lerebours and Secretan, 1853). For more on the publishers see Noel Paymal Lerebours (1807–1873), optician, of Lerebours & Secretan, Paris.