Klein

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: August 1873 (Vienna, Paris); 1875; 1878–79 (Paris)

Overview

Klein was the fancy-leather-goods house of August Klein (bookbinder and leather worker, who founded his Vienna shop in 1847 and showed at the world exhibitions; Wikipedia, «August Klein»), with a branch on the Paris boulevards (pieces marked «Klein, 38 Bd. des Italiens, Paris» in the antiques trade). Mon Journal t.2 index: «Klein, maroquinier». Marie shops at both houses in 1873: in Vienna during the Exhibition («Nous allâmes d'abord chez Klein. Je voulais acheter une cravache éventail comme j'ai vu à l'Exposition, mais ils n'en ont pas», 007.0351, 6 Aug 1873; «chez Klein. On acheta plusieurs petites choses; moi, une glace en cuir de Russie», 007.0365, 8 Aug), and in Paris a fortnight later («un porte-monnaie très bien, et commode: vingt-deux francs chez Klein», 008.0137, 23 Aug), where the shop window shows Walery's photographs of Gioia (008.0181, 008.0194, 008.0203). She returns to the Paris shop in 1875 and 1878–79 (wallets, 083; the «riche Hongrois» who followed her «chez Klein», 084.0102).

Location

Vienna: in the town centre («en ville»), not identified further. Paris: on the boulevards, probably the boulevard des Italiens (see above; another dealer source gives the boulevard des Capucines). The shop was passed multiple times during Marie's walks in Paris.

Products

Marie purchases:

• A well-made, convenient purse for 22 francs
• Describes it as "très bien, et commode"

Photographs Display

Klein displayed photographs in the shop windows, including:

• A portrait of Gioia by photographer Walery
• The photograph shows Gioia at "second cadre" (second frame)
• Multiple poses of Gioia in different frames

Significance in Marie's Diary

The Klein shop becomes significant because:

• Marie sees Gioia's photograph there and is struck by her beauty
• This leads Marie to inquire about the photographer (Walery)
• Marie subsequently arranges her own photo session with Walery
• Marie obsessively returns to look at Gioia's portrait multiple times
• She wants to determine if Gioia is truly as beautiful as the photograph suggests

Marie's repeated returns to Klein to study Gioia's photograph reveal her jealousy and insecurity about her rival for the Duke of Hamilton's affections.

Related Entries

See also: #Walery_Studio, #Gioia, #Paris