Lucien Walery
(Ignacy Count Ostroróg?)
* ?? (1863)
† ?? (1935)
Lucien Walery was a renowned photographer at Paris between 1910 and 1930. He became famous for his portraits of artists and cabaret-dancers from the Paris music halls, especially the Folies Bergère, and demi-monde society. Among his best known portraits are Mata Hari and Josephine Baker. His photos were often signed "Walery, Paris". It is said, that he also used the anagrams "Yrélaw" or "Laryew»".
Next to the portraits, Waléry did a lot of erotic nude photographs.
Surprisingly we couldn't find any reliable biographical information about Lucien Walery.
There is controversial discussion, that Walery's actual identity was Stanislaw Julian Ignacy Count Ostroróg (1863-1935), a british photographer from London with polnish ancestors.
The backside of the Cabinet Card shown here on the right must be from a different photo studio in Paris named Walery, because it advertises with gold medals already from the year of 1878.
The Cabinet Card of another photo studio called Alfred Ellis & Walery in London, 51. Baker Street, shows that it was established in 1884. Obviously Walery later founded his own photo studio, or overtook the business from Ellis, because the location is most probably the same. This is shown in the text line:
"From 20. Upper Baker St. From 164. Regent St."
The story of the photographer(s) Walery seems to be more complicated.
References:
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back side of a Cabinet Card by Walery
back side of a Cabinet Card by Alfred Ellis & Waléry
51. Baker Street, London W.
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