Additional Images

Provenance:

Private Collection for over 40 years from a Southwestern Ontario collection;
From whom purchased by the present Private Collection, Toronto

Note:

See Mervyn Ruggles' review "Paintings on a Photographic Base" for a discussion on the history of the oil portrait painted over a photographic base that was popular in the second half of the 19th century.

Ruggles continues: "Shortly after the invention of photography, artists in the United States and Canada began to explore in several ways the possibilities of the photographic image for their own use. Towards the latter part of the 19th century, some artists advertised themselves as “artist-photographers,” reflecting the aura of prestige of photography, which seemed to attract the notice of the general public. As the technical aspects improved, especially in the making of photographs, photographers who did not have artistic talents hired artists to work for them in the photo studio. Their patrons were eager to have photographs resemble painted likenesses. Prominent artists participated actively in producing painted photographs. Photographers prepared enlargements which were then painted over in oils by staff artists. By the 1860s, coloured portraits became fashionable and techniques improved rapidly. Methods were found to photosensitize the canvas surface on which the enlarged portrait was projected and fixed. The artist then applied paint directly on the image. The finished art work would later be varnished and placed in an ornamented gilt frame. Frequently, these paintings are not easily recognized as being based directly on a photo image.”

"These portraits were popular because they were less costly than free-hand paintings which required long sittings. They also had the detail and realism that often were not captured in conventional oil portraits.”