Albert Levy (photographer)

Albert Levy (b. 1844–1847; d. 1907) was a French photographer active in Europe and the United States. Most active in the 1880s and 1890s, he was a pioneer of architectural photography.

He developed a catalogue with 2500 titles that can be found in the Gallica web project of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) as well as in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. His catalogue covers France, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. He was one of the first photographers to have a study at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, in Paris and New York. His main contribution to history documentation is the 1870s "Albert Levy's architectural photographic Series" that consists of albums with 30–40 albumen photos of the Architecture of the United States, with a size of 20x24 cm approximately. There are at least 36 series.

According to one source, who cites only "Bibliothèque Nacionale de France", Levy was born in France in 1844. However, the 1880 United States Census notes that he was 33 years old, which would put his birth date at 1847 if he was asked his "age on your birthday anniversary in 1880". Alternatively, it could be either 1846 or 1847 if asked for his age at the time of being asked (which could be before or after his birthday anniversary in 1880). The New York Passengers list 1820–1957 indicates that he came to the United States in 1876 and that his occupation was photographer. The 1880 Census gives his profession as bookseller.

There are indications that Albert Levy was a photographer who also worked variously as bookseller, editor and manufacturer. His main occupation was photographer. active between 1870s-1890s He was also working in France in 1876 and in the United States in the 1880s and 1890s. He was one of the few photographers to have two studios at the same time in America and Europe. Actually, he had several studios:

Apart from photographer and bookseller, he was also pioneer in the manufacture of the gelatin dry plates in 1878. Because of the work he developed, he was an early competitor of George Eastman. He published several ads on "The Philadelphia Photographer" before Eastman's patent (1879):

[...] Unequalled for rapidity (fully equal to the both plate) intensity to any degree on simple development without silver or other intensifier and absolutely permanent and without change. Albert Levy sole propietor. Preservative for dry plates (more rapid than wet) [...]

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