2.3 The military leader Let us now consider another relatively early portrait, David's Bonaparte Crossing the Alps, in which the then First Consul is shown at the Great Saint Bernard at the start of the campaign which led to the defeat of the Austrians at Marengo in June 1800 (see Plate 10). In fact, Bonaparte had actually crossed the Alps on a humble
6.2.3 Groups The large group portrait came to commercial prominence in the 1880s, probably as a result of the widespread introduction of dry plate negatives. These negatives could be bought ready made over the counter. They did not require immediate processing and they reduced exposure times significantly. The group portrait involved the production of a single negative and a potential sale to each member of the group. Customer costs were kept low without injury to the photographer's profits. School, work
6.1 The rise of the itinerant photographer Happily, not all early family photographs were taken inside conventional studios. Sitters were frequently photographed in the open air or in temporary, makeshift studios. Portraits were taken in the street, at the fairground, at the seaside, at local beauty spots and in the parks and commons where town dwellers went for relaxation and entertainment on Sundays and holidays. Itinerant photographers who worked these venues would set up shop for the day, the week or longer, depending on situation
Death The final rite of passage, death itself, permeates the Victorian family album. Throughout the 19th century it was common practice, following the death of a relative, to commission memorial photographs. The overwhelming majority of these memorial photographs feature the person as living, not dead. 5.5.4 Confirmation You may find it difficult to read the ver 5.5.2 Skirts and breeching Look carefully at Images 46, 47 and 48. 4.9.2 Idealisation Early photographers were adept at using natural lighting to idealise the sitter. Manuals of good practice were full of advice on adapting the lighting to soften wrinkles and wreathe blemishes in shadow. For ladies of a certain age, who often give the photographer a deal of trouble, it is advisable to employ a very soft light falling in front, which softens the wrinkles and protuberances of the face, and obliterates 3.4 Characterisation and sexual stereotyping In attempting to characterise their sitters, 19th-century commercial photographers did not intend or attempt any serious psychoanalytical exploration of individual character such as we perceive it today in our post-Freudian world. They sought instead to stereotype by age and sex within a narrow range of positive virtues, which had previously been approved, within the conventions of painting: modesty, simplicity and chastity for women; dignity, strength and nobility for men. Activity 2 Click on 'View document' below to open and read the remainder of Audrey Linkman's article on 'Photography and art theory', then answer the questions. 3.3 Limited positive characterization The painted portrait was, however, perceived to be more than a mere ‘map of the face’. It was also meant to reveal aspects of the inner as well as the outer being. Activity 1 Click on 'View document' below to open and read part of Audrey Linkman's article on 'Photography and art theory', then answer the questions. 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. 2.2 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 Learning outcomes After studying this unit you should: be aware that photographs are shaped by a set of conventions based on ideas and practices which are not immediately apparent; be aware that photographs, like other documentary records, are partial and biased; be aware that photographs, like other documentary records, require critical analysis and careful interpretation; be aware of the importance of contextualisation in analysing photographs. References 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. 2.7 Style and language What do we mean when we talk of a particular writer's style? It might help us to think of style as a way of organising and expressing narrative unique to the writer, as distinctive and personal a characteristic as the writer's handwriting or the prints on the fingers holding the pen. Just as no two sets of fingerprints are alike, so no two writers are alike. Writers write in a style that reflects their individual view of the world. The word ‘style’ can generally be used to encompass 2.3 Narrative perspectives Two of the most fundamental choices that face the author of a fictional narrative is to decide who is to be the narrator and how the story is to be narrated. Click on ‘View document’ and read the attached
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Activity 2
