# Self-Portrait (negative)

- By: Louis-Rémy Robert (French, 1811–1882)
- Date: c. 1853
- Medium: waxed paper negative
- Classification: Photograph
- Dimensions: Overall: 24.3 x 17.9 cm (9 9/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
- Culture: France, 19th century
- Credit line: Gift of Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1998.195)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1998.195/1998.195_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

After the announcement of the waxed paper negative process in 1851, Louis-Rémy Robert used the technique with remarkable results. In this self-portrait negative, the elegantly dressed photo-grapher stood in an animated profile pose. With great success, Robert exploited the inherent softness of the paper negative and its ability to render broad areas of light and shadow.