Mario Uchard

A carte-de-visite portrait of the French author Mario Uchard (1824-1893).

Uchard was the author of several books, including La comtesse Diane (1864), Une dernière passion (1866), Jean de Chazol (1869), L’Etoile de Jean (1879), and Mademoiselle Blaisot (1884). He also wrote several successful comedies for the stage but is best remembered for his erotic Mon Oncle Barbassou (1877), later translated into English as French and Oriental Love in a Harem. Set amid Oriental splendour, it purported to reveal the love secrets of a Turkish harem. The main character, Uncle Barbassou, was loosely based upon Sir Richard Burton.

Photographed by Disdéri of Paris.