Images Dated 18th May 2009

Edmond de Goncourt, French author, 1868

Edmond de Goncourt, French author, 1868. Goncourt (1822-1896) was an author, critic and publisher. He bequeathed his entire estate for the foundation of the Academie Goncourt, which, since 1903, awards the Prix Goncourt, the most prestigious award in French literature. A photograph from Album de Photographies dans L'Intimite de Personnages Illustres, 1860-1925, 9th album, Editions MD, Paris

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images

The Eiffel Tower under construction, Paris, c1888

The Eiffel Tower under construction, Paris, c1888. Designed by the French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923), the Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition staged in Paris in 1889 to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. Constructed from iron, it was the tallest building in the world until 1930. A photograph from Album de Photographies dans L'Intimite de Personnages Illustres, 1860-1905, 3rd album, Editions MD, Paris

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images

Alexandre Duval, French restaurant owner and society figure, 1900

Alexandre Duval, French restaurant owner and society figure, 1900. Duval inheited a chain of cheap restaurants founded by his father, the Bouillons Duval, from which Alexandre got the nickname, the Prince de Bouillon'. He was known as a wit, a man of fashion, and a regular attendee at the most important theatrical premieres and social events. A photograph from Album de Photographies dans L'Intimite de Personnages Illustres, 1860-1920, 6th album, Editions MD, Paris

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images