Le Panorama, Summer 1899

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Get the full hi-res scan here.

So I've started my series on the origins of the girlie pulp with La Vie Parisienne and plan a number short posts on how the magazine influenced the magazine soup of the 1920s that birthed them. First, however, I want to take a look at a few earlier publications that might shed some light on some previous evolution of the girlie magazine. The cover and illustration art from La Vie Parisienne had great influence on the girlie pulps, but there were other influences from France as well, particularly in the photographic vein.

Today, I'm posting a periodical French photo album from Summer of 1899. In the back of the pulps for years, you could find on offer from peddlers "French Photos", "French Postcards," French Album", as code for pictures of naked women. Judging from the use of multiple languages throughout, this publication appears to have also been distributed well-outside of France, and I imagine it is representative of other magazines like it.

A strange album, the photos are much doctored, airbrushing of the naughty bits is as odd as the insertion of models into backgrounds. Next time, I'll post some American publications from the same period that are also experimenting with photographic trickery. The pink cover stock and rainbow tinted inks are pretty cool. Thanks to McCoy for the edit!

The inside front cover/indicia page:

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Ladies at the beach...


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Err, isn't that the girl from the middle of the previous picture also in this one, in the same pose?

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You quickly realize looking through the photos that something isn't quite right with the perspective and the figures:


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Any naughty bits on the figures is airbrushed out:


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This one looks like it has two different photographic background sort of slapped together, look at the treeline in the background.


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I like the centerfold, with the flowers around the border:


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Little bits of grass cover the nipples of this lass. Hey, isn't sunbathing with your goods on display in front of the field hands a bit provocative?!?!


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Love the red ink.


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The back cover in cool rainbow ink with advertisements and magazine credits.


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Next time, a look at some proto-girlie magazines from this same period in America that also experimented with photography and veered from fashion/theater news into naughtier territories.