Cantiniere

An albumen print photograph entitled 'Cantiniere', taken by Roger Fenton in 1855. Cantinieres were attached to every French regiment. They were often the wives of soldiers and managed canteens as well as selling additional rations. Each carried a small barrel of brandy from which they sold tots to the troops. Their dress followed closely that of their regiment. This cantiniere was attached to a zouave regiment and wore baggy trousers beneath her coat. Fenton's problems using wet collodion plates in the field are well documented. This image shows how difficult it was to keep the sticky collodion emulsion 'pure': the dark spot on the tarpaulin left of her head shows where it has been snagged.