Napolean Sarony was an American lithographer and photographer. He was born on March 9th, 1821 and died on November 9th, 1896. He was a highly popular portrait photographer, best known for his portraits of the stars of late-19th-century American theater. His son, Otto Sarony, continued the family business as a theater and film star photographer.From 1853 to 1857, the firm was known as Sarony and Company, and from 1857 to 1867, as Sarony, Major & Knapp. Sarony left the firm in 1867. Reference: Wikipedia.
Born in Quebec in 1821, Sarony moved to New York at the age of 15 to work as a lithographer for Nathaniel Currier, holding this position until 1843 when he established his own lithography firm. In 1867, Sarony opened a photography studio in New York at a time when celebrity portraiture was highly popular. Sarony, known for his colorful and eccentric personality, quickly became the preeminent photographer of his day, producing portraits of virtually every star of the New York stage, including Sarah Bernhardt, the actress he reportedly paid $1500 to pose for his camera. Among the thousands of people that came through Sarony’s studio were many other distinguished, high-profile figures including Civil War General W.T. Sherman, and writers such as Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde. Reference: Cowan’s Auctions.
Compositions in Outline…from Judd’s Margaret Illustrated by: Felix Octavius Carr Darley
Engraved by: Konrad Huber Lithographer: Sarony & Co.
Reference: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
King Edward VII by Sarony & Co albumen carte-de-visite, 1871
Reference: National Portrait Gallery
This colored lithograph of the city of Ottowa is after Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver. It was printed by Sarony, Major & Knapp, New York, circa 1859
It sold for £ 418 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2003
This is an albumen print portrait of Oscar Wilde, 1882 mounted on card ny Napolean Sarony
It sold for USD 5,000 at Christie’s in 2019
This lithograph of New York from Staton Island by C W Burton was published by Sarony & Major around 1849. It is hand colored and sold for $4,250 at Arader Galleries in 2020
This is a cabinet card featuring an unpublished self portrait of Napoleon Sarony taken at his New York studio located at 680 Broadway, which he occupied from 1866-1871. Originally from the archives of the famous New York art collector, Chester Dale (1883-1962), which is annotated on mount verso.
It sold for $300 at Cowan’s Auctions in 2019
