This is an elegant vintage French real photo postcard published by S.I.P. and photographed by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger, one of the most celebrated portrait photographers of the Belle Époque in Paris. The card is titled “DOLL” and bears the series number 1243. The image features a striking young woman in a gracefully draped, light-colored gown standing in a wooded or studio set suggesting a natural glade. Her long, wavy hair, ethereal expression, and the subtle hand-tinting of the photograph reflect the artistic aesthetic of early 20th-century Parisian portraiture, where actresses, dancers, and models were often captured in atmospheric tableaux rather than formal studio images. Léopold-Émile Reutlinger (1863–1937) was a Peruvian-born French photographer from a distinguished photographic family active in Paris from the late 19th century through the interwar period. His studio specialized in portraits of actresses, dancers, singers, and fashionable women, often used for postcards and theatrical publicity. There is no confirmed historical biography or theatrical record that clearly identifies the model referred to simply as “Doll” on this card. Unlike many other Reutlinger postcards that depict well-documented stars of French music-hall and theatre, this card’s subject appears to be a lesser-known model or performer whose stage name or mononym did not enter larger archival records. This postcard was issued sometime between circa 1905 and 1915, a heyday of Belle Epoque postcard collecting. This card is in very good antique condition. The image has excellent clarity and artistic presence. There is lovely light hand-tinting across the forest background and gown. The card has very light corner wear and no creases, tears or paper loss (see scans).
This real photo postcard is available for purchase at my store, The History Peddler, for $19.95 at auction.
Interested collectors may view the listing here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/236607374380




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