5.6.3 Honeymoons 5.5 Rites of passage 4.12 Key concepts We can conclude that the ideas relating to idealization, positive characterization and sexual stereotyping had a significant influence on the treatment of all 4 components of the portrait: expression, pose, background accessories and lighting. Victorian family photographs (like most other primary sources) are therefore selective, partial and biased. Early photographers regarded it as part of their proper function to emphasize those aspects that were considered at the time to be good and Purpose By now you have sufficient familiarity with early portraits to know that photographers regularly used painted backdrops and accessories to create a sort of stage set within the studio. These backgrounds came into widespread use with the introduction of the carte de visite in c.1860. Until the Second World War, 2 scenarios remained popular: the interior setting with windows, curtains, table and chair; and the parkland setting with trees, balustrade, rustic bench or stile. This choice of backdr 4.4 Groups If we agree that the posing of individuals carried messages for the viewer it makes sense that the posing of family groups can similarly be made to convey suggestions about the family and its character. 4.3 Characterisation and sexual stereotyping The choice of pose was also intended to echo the limited positive characterization of the expression. Distinctions were inevitably drawn between poses regarded as suitable for males and those considered appropriate for females. Men were allowed greater variety of poses than women. The pose of a lady should not have that boldness of action which you would give a man, but be modest and retiring, the arms describing g 3.2 Idealisation There were fundamental principles of painted portraiture that affected every element of the portrait, from expression and pose to background and lighting. The first imperative was the need to idealize the sitter. 2.4 National variation Relatively little research has been undertaken by photohistorians in the field of domestic photography. However, we should be aware that photography developed in different ways in different countries. So, for example, in Britain the daguerreotype remained a luxury article, as high prices restricted sales to the comfortable classes, whereas in America, because of early mass production techniques, studios could offer 4 daguerreotypes for 1 dollar. Photography was, however, a European inve 2.2 Photographs as primary sources As a primary source of historical evidence the still photograph remains largely unexamined and unexplored. Many academic historians remain wedded to the written word and are often mistrustful or dismissive of the still image. Photographs continue to be used merely to prettify or to provide necessary breathing space in dense texts. In fact, the task of finding ‘illustrations’ is often only considered after a book is written. What could indicate more clearly that the photograph has n 2.1.1 Card mounted photographs 1860–c.1914 1 How to avoid damage when handling photographs Remember to treat your photographs with the consideration demanded by their age and fragility. Careless handling and storage will cause damage. Handle photographs at the edges: the skin carries chemicals which cause deterioration (professional archivists wear cotton gloves). Hold a photograph in both hands or support an unmounted print with a piece of cardboard to avoid unnecessary handling. Never write on a photograp Introduction Most of us today take photographs for our family albums. The lucky ones among us have also inherited family photographs from the past. These photographs provide another type of record that can offer insights into our family history. But what can they tell us? How can we elicit the information they hold? And how do we analyse or evaluate that information? The purpose of this unit is to suggest how to approach the interpretation of the photographic record. Please keep referring to your ow 3 Conclusion In this unit you have been introduced to the main components of prose fiction and have been given the opportunity to develop and practise your critical and analytical skills. These are essential skills you will need to continue your stufdies in this area. Learning outcomes By the end of this unit you should be able to: recognise and discuss selected library texts from the Renaissance to the present; know how to approach literary texts in terms of genre, gender and the canon; understand and be able to apply technical analytical terms; engage in close analysis of narrative and poetic language; recognise performance is an interpretation of dramatic texts; engage in comparative 6.2 Performance and reception Our discussion of the performance possibilities for Beckett's play begins to reveal the author as someone who went to great lengths to articulate a particular artistic vision. The matter of how his plays were received was extremely important to him, and his presence at rehearsals is frequently recounted as an active, if not obtrusive one. Beckett was someone who sought extensive directorial control over the production of his work. Indeed, he made this the subject of one of his plays, in Ca 6.1 Performance and production The idea that drama is a performed art should, by now, be one with which you feel familiar. What should also be clear from each of the examples discussed so far is that there is a range of factors to consider when approaching a dramatic text, and that to engage with any dramatic work we need to consider more than just the words on the page. Here, I'll be asking you to think about the language of the text, and about what's involved in moving outwards from the page to the stage. I will also be 2 Dialogue Here is a longer passage from the scene in Top Girls:



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