HermaphroditeNadar · 1860

Identification of the Work and Subject

The work titled Hermaphrodite was produced by the French photographer Nadar in 1860. This photographic series consists of nine individual images. The subject of these photographs is a young intersex person characterized by a male build and stature.

Historical records suggest that the series may have been commissioned by Armand Trousseau. The documentation focuses on the physical anatomy of the subject. These photographs were captured using the wet collodion process, a technique involving light-sensitive chemicals applied to glass plates.

Visual Composition and Subject Matter

This series of nine photographs documents a young intersex person with a male build and stature. The subject was brought to the studio by a friend of Doctor Dumont-Pallier, and the surgeon Jules Germain François Maisonneuve was present during the sessions. The photographic process captures the subject in various poses and from multiple angles to provide a comprehensive visual record. The composition moves away from traditional portraiture by focusing specifically on the body and the genitals of the subject.

The images utilize a close-up perspective to emphasize anatomical details. The lighting is soft and diffused, creating subtle gradations in tone across the skin and the contours of the body. The monochromatic palette relies on a range of gray, white, and black tones to define form and texture. The graininess of the wet collodion process is visible in the details of the skin and the folds of any fabric present in the frame. The arrangement of the limbs and the torso is dictated by the need for clinical documentation rather than aesthetic arrangement.

Historical Context and Scientific Use

The series of nine photographs was copyrighted in 1861. These images were originally restricted to scientific uses and were excluded from public display. The subject matter involves a young intersex person with a male build and stature. Historical documentation suggests the series may have been commissioned by Armand Trousseau, with possible involvement from Doctor Dumont-Pallier and the surgeon Jules Germain François Maisonneuve.

The photographs are described as probably the first medical photo-illustrations of a patient with intersex genitalia. Because of this specific function, the work is considered a milestone in the history of sexual medicine. The documentation of the subject's anatomy was intended for clinical study rather than for general viewing or artistic exhibition.

Where to See the Work Today

The photographic series exists across several major collections. Several of the photographs from this work are held at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. These specific prints remain part of the museum's permanent holdings.

In the United States, at least one photograph from the series is located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York. The MET occasionally places these photographs on display alongside other works by Nadar. A previous exhibition in 1995 featured two photographs from this specific series.