We are fortunate to have recently added to the collection a complete set of “Sun Artists”, an excellent example of photogravure’s influence on the evolution of the art of photography.

From the introduction…” In producing ‘Sun Artists’ it is their endeavour to emphasize the artistic claims of photography by reproducing the best work in the best possible manner…The whole series, it is hoped will form a true, because comprehensive, representation of modern artistic photography.  In this sense, the promoters confidently believe that ‘Sun Artists’ discovers virgin soil...The plates in the first number have been executed by the Typographic Etching Company to whom great credit is due for the delicacy and perfection of their reproduction... The day is dawning when Nature as rendered by photography will occupy a much larger share in the esteem of cultured men, when Truth as Truth will also be conceded its claim to beauty.  The ripeness of Time my not have yet of come; should such prove the case, “Sun Artists” will help to prepare the way.  In however small a degree, it is at once the ambition and the pride of the promoters of this serial to be associated with a movement which strives to gain for Photography a recognition until now denied her.

Sun Artists No. 1, Joseph Gale

Sun Artists No. 2, Henry Peach Robinson

Sun Artists No. 3, J.B.B. Wellington

Sun Artists No. 4, Lyddell Sawyer

Sun Artists No. 5, Julia Margaret Cameron

Sun Artists No. 6, B. Gay Wilkinson

Sun Artists No. 7, Mrs. F.W. H. Myers

Sun Artists No. 8, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe

Sun Artists (original series). Edited by W. Arthur Boord. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Co. ..., 1889-1891

Posted by mkatzman at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recent portfolios added to this database include selections from:

G.L. Arlaud’s Vingt Études de Nu en Plein Air
Various plates from Camera Notes
Frantisek Drtikol’s Les Nus de Drtikol
Various plates from The Harriman Alaska Expedition of 1899

Recently I had the privlege of meeting David Spencer - collector, photographer and curator of The Spencer Photographic Archive. David is perhaps the most dedicated person I have met when it comes to the preservation of this material, especially from the pictorial era in Europe when photogravure played such a key role. I am excited to be working closely with David and bringing to this site many of the works from his outstanding collection.

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Posted by mkatzman at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by mkatzman at 05:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In 1894 the Photo-Club of Paris ('Photo-Club de Paris') with Constant Puyo, Robert Demachy, René Le Begue, Hachette and De Singly held its first exhibition the 'Première exposition d'art photographique'. This virtual exhibition contains all the plates printed as photogravures in the catalogue of the second exhibition that took place in 1895; the 'Deuxième exposition d'art photographique'.
 
Within this exhibition there are some well known names such as Alfred Stieglitz from the USA and the founders of the Photo Club, Constant Puyo, Robert Demachy and René Le Begue but the key point is to appreciate the international flavor for the pictorialists in the 1890s. The photographers represented in the catalogue are from France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, England, Scotland, Austria and the USA while others from Italy, Germany and Switzerland were included in the hung exhibition.
 
Hans Watzek (1848-1903) and Hugo Henneberg (1863-1918) from Austria would go on to found the 'The Clover Leaf' ('Das Kleeblatt' or 'Trifolium') society of pictorialist photographers with Heinrich Kühn in 1896. Although many of the photographers listed are relatively unknown J. Craig Annan (1864-1946) was a masterful Scottish photographer and in the 1890s he printed the photographs of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson. Also of note is Baron Adolph de Meyer who became one of the greatest of the early fashion photographers and was the chief photographer at Vogue in the USA for many years.
 
The history of photography has not been kind to many people and most of the photographers shown here are now forgotten but we should resist using modern viewpoints to judge the talents of these amateurs. They were involved in a movement that fundamentally changed the course of artistic photography.

View Collection
 
Alan Griffiths, Luminous-Lint
 

Posted by mkatzman at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)