Printed: 2024-04-25
Plumier, Alphonse
Identity
Category
Person (Male)
Alternative name or descriptor
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Status
- Professional
Details
Life dates
Liège, 1819 - Liège, 1877
Activity
1843 * - 1877 + Liège, Boulevard de la Sauvenière, 18
Successor: Dorée - Plumier Léon
° 9.7.1819; + 10.7.1877. In 1843 and from 1845 until 1877 (= Quai de la Sauvenière); this is the back entrance to the building at no. 13, Rue Basse-Sauvenière, formerly no. 801. In 1851, Plumier bought a house with a carriage gateway at no. 18.
Painter, daguerreotypist and photographer. He was the son of a distiller from Liège and learned to daguerreotype in Paris. On his advertising labels: "Former pupil of Chevalier in Paris". Alphonse Plumier was in Paris before 1843 and was registered in 1844 at Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 9, where Chevalier operated from 1849 until 1857. Back in Belgium at the end of 1843, he stated: "same studio in Paris". He left the running of the Paris studio to his brother Victor (see that name). As late as 1853, reports considered the Brussels and Paris studios to be branches of the same business.
Plumier opened a studio in Liège at Quai de la Sauvenière in 1843. In March 1844, he formed a short-lived partnership (see Plumier, [A.] & Weitelsbach, [Félix]). Coloured daguerreotypes. "Portraits on metal and on paper; daguerreotype cameras, plates, passe-partouts and frames. Chemicals" (La Lumière, 30.11.1851). In April 1852 he made the death-portrait of the bishop of Liège, Monsignor Van Bommel, a portrait that was to be lithographed in 60 000 copies and distributed among school children. He photographed the visit of the King to Liège in August 1853.
Patent of 3.12.1849 for "a new photographic process" [use of ammonia vapours for sensitising daguerreian plates]. Patent of 12.7.1855 for "a process suited for the production of photographic portraits and drawings in all sizes" [use of collodion coated glass]. Patent of 3.12.1857 relating to improvements (on the patent of 12.7.1855) for "additions to the photographic process".
From 1854 until 1856, general agency for photographs by Blanquart-Evrard in Brussels, Liège and Antwerp. As early as September 1859, he was producing CVs, cutting up cardstock which he then dry-stamped: "A. Plumier" (sa). On CVs in the 1860s: "Photographer by appointment to the King and H.R.H. the Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha". His last advertisement proposing to take daguerreotypes appeared in December 1860.
Alphonse Plumier was an art collector and his collection of 193 paintings was auctioned in Brussels on 1-3.10.1872, as he was probably in financial difficulty. After his death, his widow, Jeanne Emilie Monseur, continued operating until the the studio was acquired by Léon Dorée - Plumier. Within days of Plumier's death, a public auction of household contents and furniture was held on 17.7.1877, including "several cameras, head clamps, backdrops, etc" (La Meuse, 5.7.1877).
1844 Spa, Hôtel des Pays-Bas
Itinerant daguerreotypist at this address.
1849 * - 1850 / Bruxelles, Montagne de la Cour, 69bis (Lefèvre building)
Plumier left Liège for Brussels on 2.11.1849. "New Year’s gifts. Photographic miniatures at 5 to 25 Fr. [...] See his magnificent portraits exhibited on his premises" (L'Indépendance belge, from 24.11.1849 to 16.12.1849).
1850 * - 1856 / Bruxelles, Galerie de la Reine, 28<52-53> or 23 & 28<54-56>
= Galerie or Passage Saint-Hubert. In 1851, listed in the directory with the statement "photographic miniatures". Advertisements in December 1852 and January 1853 state "Daguerreotype portraits on metal and on paper".
1852 Bruxelles, Passage du Prince (Galerie Saint-Hubert), 9
Some advertisements in 1852 give this as a supplementary address within the same commercial arcade.
1853 * - 1855 / Anvers, Rue des Tanneurs, 1057
Successor: Dupont Joseph
Studio opened in August 1853, managed by Joseph Dupont, who later took over the business. "Copies, portraits at home and after decease, cameras and chemicals sold, framing, daguerreotype lessons" (Le Précurseur, 24.1.1855). Plumier had advertised his intention in March 1853 to open studios in Antwerp and Ghent (L'Indépendance Belge, 23.3.1853) but only Antwerp was realised.
1856 * - 1862 / Bruxelles, Rue de l'Ecuyer, 57 / Galerie du Roi, 27
Successor: Plumier [A.] & Nysten [J.]
Daguerreotypist and photographer. Opened on 31.10.1856. His photographs were coloured in oil or in watercolour.
1856 Gand
Plumier sent a representative to the "Hôtel du Lion d'Or" in July to take orders for an impending visit (Journal de Gand, 8.8.1856), but there is no proof that he actually operated here.
1859 Liège, Place du Marché, 27 (at the Ange d'Or)
An additional studio, advertised in January 1859, that seems to have had an ephemeral existence.
1859 - 1860 Bruxelles, Passage St Hubert, 27 & Rue d'Arenberg
Address in particular found on very early CVs. "Passage St Hubert" is likely an alternative designation for "Galerie du Roi" and is thus one and the same studio.
1861 * Maestricht [NL], Hôtel du Levrier
Plumier advertised his arrival in Maestricht "where he has opened a photography studio" (no street address) (Le Courrier de la Meuse, 16.7.1861). At the Hôtel du Levrier, "he intends to remain one week only in this town from 20 to 25 incl." (Le Courrier de la Meuse, 19.8.1861).
Successor: Dorée - Plumier Léon
° 9.7.1819; + 10.7.1877. In 1843 and from 1845 until 1877 (= Quai de la Sauvenière); this is the back entrance to the building at no. 13, Rue Basse-Sauvenière, formerly no. 801. In 1851, Plumier bought a house with a carriage gateway at no. 18.
Painter, daguerreotypist and photographer. He was the son of a distiller from Liège and learned to daguerreotype in Paris. On his advertising labels: "Former pupil of Chevalier in Paris". Alphonse Plumier was in Paris before 1843 and was registered in 1844 at Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 9, where Chevalier operated from 1849 until 1857. Back in Belgium at the end of 1843, he stated: "same studio in Paris". He left the running of the Paris studio to his brother Victor (see that name). As late as 1853, reports considered the Brussels and Paris studios to be branches of the same business.
Plumier opened a studio in Liège at Quai de la Sauvenière in 1843. In March 1844, he formed a short-lived partnership (see Plumier, [A.] & Weitelsbach, [Félix]). Coloured daguerreotypes. "Portraits on metal and on paper; daguerreotype cameras, plates, passe-partouts and frames. Chemicals" (La Lumière, 30.11.1851). In April 1852 he made the death-portrait of the bishop of Liège, Monsignor Van Bommel, a portrait that was to be lithographed in 60 000 copies and distributed among school children. He photographed the visit of the King to Liège in August 1853.
Patent of 3.12.1849 for "a new photographic process" [use of ammonia vapours for sensitising daguerreian plates]. Patent of 12.7.1855 for "a process suited for the production of photographic portraits and drawings in all sizes" [use of collodion coated glass]. Patent of 3.12.1857 relating to improvements (on the patent of 12.7.1855) for "additions to the photographic process".
From 1854 until 1856, general agency for photographs by Blanquart-Evrard in Brussels, Liège and Antwerp. As early as September 1859, he was producing CVs, cutting up cardstock which he then dry-stamped: "A. Plumier" (sa). On CVs in the 1860s: "Photographer by appointment to the King and H.R.H. the Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha". His last advertisement proposing to take daguerreotypes appeared in December 1860.
Alphonse Plumier was an art collector and his collection of 193 paintings was auctioned in Brussels on 1-3.10.1872, as he was probably in financial difficulty. After his death, his widow, Jeanne Emilie Monseur, continued operating until the the studio was acquired by Léon Dorée - Plumier. Within days of Plumier's death, a public auction of household contents and furniture was held on 17.7.1877, including "several cameras, head clamps, backdrops, etc" (La Meuse, 5.7.1877).
1844 Spa, Hôtel des Pays-Bas
Itinerant daguerreotypist at this address.
1849 * - 1850 / Bruxelles, Montagne de la Cour, 69bis (Lefèvre building)
Plumier left Liège for Brussels on 2.11.1849. "New Year’s gifts. Photographic miniatures at 5 to 25 Fr. [...] See his magnificent portraits exhibited on his premises" (L'Indépendance belge, from 24.11.1849 to 16.12.1849).
1850 * - 1856 / Bruxelles, Galerie de la Reine, 28<52-53> or 23 & 28<54-56>
= Galerie or Passage Saint-Hubert. In 1851, listed in the directory with the statement "photographic miniatures". Advertisements in December 1852 and January 1853 state "Daguerreotype portraits on metal and on paper".
1852 Bruxelles, Passage du Prince (Galerie Saint-Hubert), 9
Some advertisements in 1852 give this as a supplementary address within the same commercial arcade.
1853 * - 1855 / Anvers, Rue des Tanneurs, 1057
Successor: Dupont Joseph
Studio opened in August 1853, managed by Joseph Dupont, who later took over the business. "Copies, portraits at home and after decease, cameras and chemicals sold, framing, daguerreotype lessons" (Le Précurseur, 24.1.1855). Plumier had advertised his intention in March 1853 to open studios in Antwerp and Ghent (L'Indépendance Belge, 23.3.1853) but only Antwerp was realised.
1856 * - 1862 / Bruxelles, Rue de l'Ecuyer, 57 / Galerie du Roi, 27
Successor: Plumier [A.] & Nysten [J.]
Daguerreotypist and photographer. Opened on 31.10.1856. His photographs were coloured in oil or in watercolour.
1856 Gand
Plumier sent a representative to the "Hôtel du Lion d'Or" in July to take orders for an impending visit (Journal de Gand, 8.8.1856), but there is no proof that he actually operated here.
1859 Liège, Place du Marché, 27 (at the Ange d'Or)
An additional studio, advertised in January 1859, that seems to have had an ephemeral existence.
1859 - 1860 Bruxelles, Passage St Hubert, 27 & Rue d'Arenberg
Address in particular found on very early CVs. "Passage St Hubert" is likely an alternative designation for "Galerie du Roi" and is thus one and the same studio.
1861 * Maestricht [NL], Hôtel du Levrier
Plumier advertised his arrival in Maestricht "where he has opened a photography studio" (no street address) (Le Courrier de la Meuse, 16.7.1861). At the Hôtel du Levrier, "he intends to remain one week only in this town from 20 to 25 incl." (Le Courrier de la Meuse, 19.8.1861).
Locations
1843 * - 1877 + Liège, Boulevard de la Sauvenière, 18
1844 Spa, Hôtel des Pays-Bas
1849 * - 1850 / Bruxelles, Montagne de la Cour, 69bis (Lefèvre building)
1850 * - 1856 / Bruxelles, Galerie de la Reine, 28<52-53> or 23 & 28<54-56>
1852 Bruxelles, Passage du Prince (Galerie Saint-Hubert), 9
1853 * - 1855 / Anvers, Rue des Tanneurs, 1057
1856 * - 1862 / Bruxelles, Rue de l'Ecuyer, 57 / Galerie du Roi, 27
1856 Gand
1859 Liège, Place du Marché, 27 (at the Ange d'Or)
1859 - 1860 Bruxelles, Passage St Hubert, 27 & Rue d'Arenberg
1861 * Maestricht [NL], Hôtel du Levrier
1844 Spa, Hôtel des Pays-Bas
1849 * - 1850 / Bruxelles, Montagne de la Cour, 69bis (Lefèvre building)
1850 * - 1856 / Bruxelles, Galerie de la Reine, 28<52-53> or 23 & 28<54-56>
1852 Bruxelles, Passage du Prince (Galerie Saint-Hubert), 9
1853 * - 1855 / Anvers, Rue des Tanneurs, 1057
1856 * - 1862 / Bruxelles, Rue de l'Ecuyer, 57 / Galerie du Roi, 27
1856 Gand
1859 Liège, Place du Marché, 27 (at the Ange d'Or)
1859 - 1860 Bruxelles, Passage St Hubert, 27 & Rue d'Arenberg
1861 * Maestricht [NL], Hôtel du Levrier
Exhibitions
Brussels, 1853; Brussels, 1854; Paris, 1855 (only photographer in the Belgian section to be awarded an honourable mention); Brussels, 1856.
Genres / subject matter
Techniques
Bibliography/Webography
BALaT (Belgian Art Links and Tools) - Plumier, Alphonse: http://balat.kikirpa.be/people.php?priref=89343
Context
Affiliations
Management
Record source
DIRECTORY_1997#3458
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation/revision
SFJ revised 5.5.2018; MCC 27.1.2019.; MD revised 16.4.2020; SFJ revised 2.8.2020, 28.5.2021 & 24.6.2022 based on information supplied by M. Demaeght; SFJ revised 14.8.2023 SFJ revised 14.8.2023 based on information supplied by Jean-Pol Weber (email of 10.8.2023)