This is an extremely rare portrait of a Napoleonic veteran.

The large colored albumen print is mounted on the original cardboard. Unfortunately this cardboard has been cut in the past.
The name and regiment of the sitter is still visible: 'Bonneville, 2ème Régiment de Lanciers de la Garde, Campagnes - 1813 à 1815'. The famous 'Dutch red lancers'.
Bonneville is decorated with the medal of Saint Hélène. The one Napoleon III introduced for all living veterans of the Napoleonic wars. He was active after the war in Russia. Probably he fought at these battles and clashes: Reichenbach, Dresden, Teplitz, Saxony, Leipzig, Antwerp, Liège, Rothière, Montereau, Craonne, St-Dizier, Paris, Quatre-Bras and finally Waterloo.

It is very rare to find photographs of Napoleonic veterans still wearing their uniform. We read on the website of the Anne S. K. Brown: "These remarkable photographs provide probably the only surviving images of veterans of the Grande Armée and the Guard actually wearing their original uniforms and insignia, although some of the uniforms have obviously been recut by tailors of the 1850's". (see last picture of M. Dreuse of the 2nd Light Horse Lancers of the Guard, and M. Verlinde of the 2nd Lancers. For reference only, Anne S.K. Brown Collection)

Although the cardboard has been cut, the address '4. Rue Frochot, Quartier St. George' is still visible. It's here where Erwin Hanfstaengl had his Paris studio from 1863 on. We found several CdV's of the Erwin frères who had the same furniture, chair and studio decoration.
Interesting to have identified the photographer of this portrait because another part of these portraits is currently in the collection of the The Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection. These portraits are of an 'unknown' maker and not tinted. Because of the same furniture, style, format and topic we can almost certainly say these portraits are also made by Erwin Hanfstaengl in Paris around 1863. Of course the photo session could have been earlier on his other address (Rue Frochot, 2). He started as a photographer in 1853.

ca. 1863
photograph: ca. 31 x 21 cm
cardboard: ca. 39 x 21 cm
signed with an unknown name (photographer or colorist?)

Literature: The Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection. These fascinating photographs are published in several publications about the Napoleonic wars.
Last picture is for reference only, it shows the other two lancers in this unique collection.