At twilight, a layer of snow coats boats moored in a canal fronting factory buildings, probably photographed in Ghent. A rare example of a two-color Chine-collé photogravure believed to be printed in tones of black and yellow or cyan inks.

Edmond Sacré: 1851-1921

The following historical chronology of the photographer appears courtesy of the Directory of Belgian Photographers hosted online by Fotomuseum Antwerp. (FOMU)

Life dates

Ghent, 1851 – Ghent, 1921

Activity

1877 * – 1892 / Gand, Rue des Douze Chambres, 20<80-83>, 15<78-92> or 15-17<90-92>

Predecessor: Cornand & Cie (at n° 15) #

° 20.8.1851; + 16.2.1921. Sacré produced a voluminous and highly diversified body of work, either on commission during his long professional career, or independently as an artistic photographer; he was one of the few Belgian pictorialists to be drawn from the ranks of professional photographers. According to his ABP obituary, he practised photography from 1874 onwards, following studies at the industrial school. Winter landscapes in platinum. Mounted collotype views, 1881. “56 medals at photographic art exhibitions in Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, France, Italy. Diploma of merit, 1874 and 1876; bronze medal, 1877; vermeil medal, 1878”.

1892 * – 1921 + Gand, Rue de la Calandre, 1

At this address from July 1892. The building is at the corner formed with Rue Courte de la Croix, 2, the address on CVs. Described himself successively as a “photographer – draughtsman” and “photographer –publisher”. Gum prints. “Permanent carbon process. Platinotype and photocollography. Awards at all the National Exhibitions since 1870. First-class medal at the International Competition of 1880; the two highest honours at the International Competition of 1880; the two highest honours at the International Photography Competition of 1881; first-class industrial decoration in 1886; certificate of honour of the International Exhibition of Douai; certificate of honour at the International Exhibition of Vienna; gold medal at the International Exhibition of Naples; silver medal at the International Exhibition of Berlin; silver medal at the International Exhibition of Brussels”. Author of some articles in “Hélios Illustré” under the pseudonym “Ercas”, which is the ananym of his surname. Vice-president of the “Fédération Nationale des Photographes Professionels de Belgique” in 1913 and president of the affiliated “Union des Photographes Professionnels de Gand” in 1912-1914.

Member of the “Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie de Gand” from 1894. He was latterly assisted and then succeeded by his two daughters Adelaïde Coralie (1878 – 1966) as operator and Martha Julie (1882 – 1951) as bookkeeper. A collection of 386 glass negatives is held by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA), Brussels, acquired from the studio’s ultimate owner Josef Van Waesberghe in 1942. Sacré was also interested in early processes: a collection of nearly 90 Daguerreotypes with his provenance was dispersed at auction in 1998 (Henri Godts, Brussels, 6.6.1998, lots 57-60).

Locations

1877 * – 1892 / Gand, Rue des Douze Chambres, 20<80-83>, 15<78-92> or 15-17<90-92>

1892 * – 1921 + Gand, Rue de la Calandre, 1

Exhibitions

Ghent, 1877 (2nd class medal); Brussels, 1880; Ghent, 1880 (cyanotype or other similar processes for reproducing plans; second prize); Ghent, “Chambre Syndicale”, 1877 and 1881; Ghent, 1882; Brussels, 1883; Brussels, 1888; Ghent, 1889 (carbon prints, including of the flower exhibition); Brussels, 1891; Douai, 1891 (diplôme d’honneur); Vienna, 1891; Antwerp, 1892 (genre studies); Ghent, 1892; Lille, 1893 (silver medal); Douai, 1894; Ghent, 1895; Paris, 1895; Brussels, 1896; Lille, 1896; Louvain, 1896; Paris, 1896; Courtrai, 1897; Dunkirk, 1897; Paris, 1897; Brussels, 1898; Ghent, 1898; Paris, 1898; Ghent, 1899; Armentières, 1901; Mons, 1901; Paris, 1901; Brussels, 1902; Paris, 1902; Turin, 1902; Antwerp, 1903; Ghent, 1903; Ghent ABP, 1903; Lille, 1903; Mons, 1904 (forenames “Edmond Pierre”); Paris, 1904; Liège, 1905; Milan, 1906; Paris, 1906; Saint-Quentin, 1907; Ghent, 1913; Liège, 1914.

Bibliography/Webography

NOTTEBOOM, Bruno & LAUWAERT, Dirk (éd.). Edmond Sacré Gent, 1851-1921, portret van een stad. Ghent, 2011, 255 pp.