The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 6.1862
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1862
• Sprache: Englisch
• Signatur: F 135
• Vorlage: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Rechtehinweis: Public Domain Mark 1.0
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-db-id1780948042-186200003
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18620000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18620000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Bemerkung: Seite 1-72 fehlen in der Vorlage. Vorlagebedingter Textverlust.
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

316 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [July 4,1862. however, so much for their photographic value, as in refer ence to the powerful and unpleasant odour of valerian which is so strongly noticed near the case. The old-established firm of Howard and Sons devote a great portion of their space to compounds of quinine, and other alkaloids, for the manufacture of which they are so justly famous; they have, besides, some fine cadmium salts as well as iodide and bromide of potassium and Rochelle salt. This case also contains the largest crystals of nitrate of silver which we can remember ever having seen, some of the tables of this salt being upwards of three inches square. The articles exhibited in Mr. Versmann’s case—Wolfram ores and various metallic tungstates—are of considerable inte rest apart from the anti-inflammable property which they communicate to ladies dresses, inasmuch as they furnish two new and very beautiful colours, namely saffron bronze, and magenta bronze ; the appearance of these, when the sun shines on them is beautiful in the extreme. BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT. Portraiture must ever be one of the most important de partments of photography, nevertheless, we are disposed to believe, at the risk of being charged with photographic heresy by some, that as yet it has scarcely received full jus tice. We do not mean to say that there are not some pre eminently able portraitists; but we think it would be very easy to prove, that portraiture has rarely been pursued with the loving enthusiasm by amateurs, which has been given to landscape and other branches of photography. Very few educated amateurs have given it any attention at all, whilst of the profsssional photographers who pursue photography as a business, how very few are by natural aptitude or edu cation, fitted to excel in this most difficult branch of the art ? To attain the highest excellence here, not only should the operator be perfectly familiar with all the principles of art which pertain to this department, and be at the same time a thoroughly accomplished photographer; but he should also possess that rapid, almost intuitive perception of cha racter, which will enable him at once to perceive what style, position, lighting, and general arrangement, will be most conducive to perfect waisenMance, and to satisfactory pic torial results, together with sufficient of the magnetic charm of manner, which places the sitter at once at ease, and in duces the happiest expression during the sitting, for unless the idea of a dentistical operation, entertained by so many persons, can be dispelled, there can be no chance of a suc cessful portrait. Notwithstanding, however, that we believe it is possible to attain a higher standard in photographic portraiture generally, we are fully prepared to admit that there are many very fine examples of this branch of the art in the International Exhibition, both in the British and other de partments. It is with the former, however, we are now con cerned. Prominent here, as might be anticipated, are the various examples of card portraiture. The fashion which has prevailed for the last couple of years, for these smatl photographs, has done much, we believe, to improve the manipulative part of photographic portraiture. Not that bad photography is entirely uncommon in this department still; but the general quality of the results, or at least such as belong to the merely mechanical part of photography, are materially improved. Moderately good manipulation has become imperative where slovenliness might pass before. The time was, a very few years ago, when the cut-out back grounds, which originated in France, and touched pictures, were common in portraiture, or when coloured pictures were largely in demand, very moderate and often very bad, results were deemed good enough for touching or colouring, and the obligation to produce clean even backgrounds; sharp, round, well defined images, was by no means imperative. The card mania has, however, changed all that; and the photographer who would maintain any reputation, must manipulate well, whether he be an artist or not. The public have begun to acquire discrimination enough to form sonic judgment as to the mechanical department; the artist appreciation is, perhaps, yet to come, although even in ths respect, it generally happens that the most artistic photo- graphs please best. By far the best card pictures, to our taste, here exhibitel are those of Mr. H. P. Robinson, of Leamington. The fn (703, in the photographic catalogue,) is a small one, contain ing only half-a-dozen pictures, but these are gems. Excellent in composition, easy and natural in pose and general arrange ment, soft and delicate, yet, withal, rich ami brilliant, the! are altogether charming. Pictorial backgrounds, so commonl! misused as to render them generally disgusting, are hereen ployed with good taste and natural effect, especially in astant. ing group, and in the picture of a lady, sitting sketchins. Perhaps, next in quality amongst card pictures are those O' Maylaud, of Cambridge. These are soft, vigorous, and rounl generally quiet and well arranged, free from the meretricio" and incongruous display of accessories, which is but too Co mon in this class of portraits. Mr. Kilburn, or, rather, I successor, also displays some very good card portraits. M King, of Bath, sends a very extensive collection of spe® mens, small and large, for which he is fortunate in havi obtained so much space. Of the large pictures, we have I to speak ; but his card pictures are, however, best, andth. are very unequal, some being very good, some moderate, s BI many very poor indeed, both as photography and art, ba’j hard and patchy, and crowded with “loud” accessories. N King has been fortunate in sitters, his specimens includins the elite of the professional world in music, art, and lette as well as stars of the drama and of the pulpit. It is alwaa a source of regret when we see, from some of the specimensot an artist, that he can do good work, to find at the same tin. that from hurry, carelessness, or the lack of a suflicientl! delicate appreciation, he sends forth, side by side with W e good, other results which are entirely bad. We find on looking over our notes mn regard to c Jtl portraits, that a very large proportion of the contribution are marked as “ middling.” Many of these have excelltd points, but are still in some respects wanting; and many . these, too, by artists of good position ; amongst these we 10 mention such names as Mayer Brothers, Caldesi, and S00 others whose pictures are hard ; Beard, Claudet, and othe2 who exhibit some very fine pictures, but some of which % the perfectness of definition desirable in such pictures.* are cold and wanting in richness and vigour. Mr. He exhibits some very good card pictures, but immediate™ contact with them is a large frame, containing some s of heads, arranged so closely together in long uniform I% row over row, as to have a most unsatisfactory and unpk^J effect, giving the appearance at first glance of an im" chess-board. The photography is probably good, but 1 ( impossible to form a good opinion of it displayed insuCn style. Messrs. Maull and Polyblank exhibit some M commonplace card pictures, and the London Schooy Photography some still worse. Descending still fur.s not by a mere stride, but by an immense leap, we comet frame, or a series of frames by L. Birnstingl ; as we St before these, we pause and wonder, and as we remembeta this department represents British photography, and "o the world is invited to examine the display, we feel • an flush, half of shame, and wholly of annoyance. These d portraits of the “ Guarantors,” the representative patroptbe science and art in the country, and the portraiture is b), j gentleman who obtained the contract for photograp! j connection with the Exhibition whilst the building Wci progress; so that these pictures possess a quasi-otsor character, and might naturally be regarded as in somepby. representing national character and national photogok is We must confess we are truly sorry for it. The * Hoto irredeemably bad in every sense. If we believe the Pn ol graphers, and they should be good evidence, the Eustgis science, art, letters, and wealth, who are prepared to s