Guyard, Elisabeth (Madame)

Identity

Category

Person (Female)

Alternative name or descriptor

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Status

  • Professional

Details

Life dates

Brussels - Watermael-Boitsfort, 1804 - Brussels, 1887

Activity

1843 */ Gand, Hôtel du Lion d'Or, then Rue de la Cuillère, 20 and Rue du Soleil, 13 (on Mlle Dujardin's premises)
Elisabeth Vandenplas, ° 28.1.1804; + 30.10.1887. Also transcribed "van der Plas" or "Vanderplas". Common-law wife of Jean Guyard (see separate entry). One of the earliest itinerant daguerreotypists and the first female photographer to operate in Belgium. She began operating in Ghent by 7 August: "Madame Guyard, coming from Paris, advantageously known for her fine daguerreotype portraits in a few seconds, and in colour, in cloudy and sunless weather, informs [interested parties] that she will stay several days in this town. Mme Guyard will make home visits for families, provided there is a suitable location: a courtyard, a terrace or a garden" (Messager de Gand, 7.8.1843). She was still advertising her services in Ghent on 16.8.1843.
1844 */ Tournai, Hôtel de l'Impératrice, Rue des Maux
Coming from Lille in April 1844, Madame Guyard stayed in Tournai for some days before leaving for Prussia. "Daguerreotypes plain and coloured". Later in 1844, she began operating with her common-law husband (see relevant entry) in Amsterdam, Heerenstraat 2, introducing coloured daguerreotypes there. In 1846 they proposed to travellers embarking for the Indies to take their portrait before departure. "Guyard Fils" in The Hague in 1847 (see separate entry). Madame Guyard was again in The Hague in 1848, Groningen in 1850, Utrecht and Amsterdam in 1851. Following her departure from Rotterdam in 1851, Madame Guyard abandoned photography.
Elisabeth Vandenplas was recorded as a hotel manageress living in Paris at her wedding to a tanner, Alexandre Charles Erhard, on 30.8.1862. "Mme Erhard Vandenplas" continued to earn a living managing hotels or boarding houses in Paris, and was listed at the "Hôtel Vauban et du Square des Arts et Métiers", Rue Salomon de Caus in January 1871. On her return to Brussels in April 1871, no doubt fleeing the Commune and following the death of her elder son during the siege of Paris, Elisabeth Vandenplas was registered as a person of independent means, and of no profession at the time of her death.

Locations

1843 */ Gand, Hôtel du Lion d'Or, then Rue de la Cuillère, 20 and Rue du Soleil, 13 (on Mlle Dujardin's premises)
1844 */ Tournai, Hôtel de l'Impératrice, Rue des Maux

Exhibitions

Genres / subject matter

Techniques

Bibliography/Webography

"Elisabeth van der Plas" on RKD artists, at: https://rkd.nl/nl/explore/artists/record?query=Guyard&start=10 (accessed 23.8.2023)

Context

Affiliations

Management

Record source

DIRECTORY_1997#2038

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation/revision

SFJ revised 25.5.2017; SFJ revised 30.6.2020 & 22.8.2023 based on information supplied by M. Demaeght; MD revised 11.8.2023

Language(s)

Script(s)

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Maintenance notes

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