Jean Fouquet(1450).
The earliest portrait miniature,
and possibly the earliest formal self-portrait.
1. When photography entered the public domain in 1839, some would say that the ‘portrait’ helped popularize photography with the masses. When photographic portraits first originated they played a huge role in social development, especially in Western Europe. Photographic portraits were first used as a way for people trying to climb the social ladder to visually display and affirm their new social status. Not only to one’s self, but to the world around them. I believe that this mentality is still prevalent today. If you think about facebook, it allows people to display their ‘lives’, or snapshots of their lives to their entire social network, as well as strangers. They use their self-portraits, or photo’s as a way to show society, and their friends what they’re up to, what they’re about, and even to display their material possessions. (Jewellery, make-up, hair, tattoos).
Portraits have evolved through time, and one popular phase was miniature portraits. It fulfilled people with the desire of personal charm. It allowed people to carry with them small portraits of loved ones, or far away family members. Miniature portraits were still used as social/status symbols, but began to die out when middle classes became more secure. Today I think of miniatures as a symbol of the past. Some people may have lockets which contain miniature portraits of deceased, or older family members. I believe that the 21st century’s answer to the miniature portrait is wallet sized snapshots, like the kind you could receive each year through school.
Another type of portrait that became popular in the middle of the 18th century was the silhouette. A silhouette could be created by cutting profiles from black shiny paper, and were favoured, because they were much less time consuming, inexpensive, and easy to create. The physionotrace eventually phased out miniature portraits. Physionotrace was created using a machine that combined both the silhouette, and the technique of engraving. Silhouettes are still used to today, predominately in graffiti, or artistic works.
One other area of the portrait is the Carte-de-Visite. A small photograph usually made from an albumen print and then mounted on a thick paper card. This type of portrait became a craze for a while in Europe, and North America, and is still present in today’s society. Sports cards, postcards, and Hallmark greeting cards, are examples of the Carte-de-Visite today.
2. In the past photographers were artists (painters), inventors, tradesmen, and local citizens who recognized the potential for income, in this new and aspiring field. In the past photographers could be largely characterized as inventors, or scientists. In the past you really had to hone your craft, and build your skills to a certain level. The equipment and technology used then was more complex, and required a much larger devotion then photography in the present. Since the medium was so new and exciting, many changes and advancements were made in a short time. Today with the advancement of technology, average people can become photographers in their own homes, no laboratories, or studio’s required.
The subjects of photography in the past were; Key social figures like politicians, royalty, and celebrities. Landscapes and distant lands that were new and exciting for people to finally be exposed to without having to travel to those destinations. Family members, loved ones, and friends were another popular subject of photography. Historic events, for example images of war, poverty, culture, and religion were other sources of popular photography.
I believe that the subjects of photography haven’t differed much from the past. People are still interested in documenting the same issues and curiosities through photo’s as in the past. What I do think has changed and evolved, is that in the past it would be rather difficult for a painter, or photographer to create a self-portrait, of him, or herself given the labour and technology of the time. In today’s age taking ones own photograph is extremely quick, easy, and affordable. Another difference I have noticed is that in the past photography seemed like more of a male dominated art form. Today there are many famous female photographers. In addition to gender, class also played an important role. In the past wealthier people could afford to have the portraits done, or buy photo’s of landscapes and celebrities, and most times people of lower classes were excluded from this.
3. The impact of technology on portraits in the past has greatly influenced today’s standard portrait. Technology has allowed portraits to evolve from a long tedious, expensive process, to a medium and tool found in most people’s homes across North America, and Europe. When portraits first originated, they were not easily duplicated. After many hours of hard work and labour, one copy was presented to the buyer. With the rise and popularity of portraits, the demand to reproduce and make alternate copies (now known as negatives) available was met through technology. In the past you would have to source out an artist, or photographer to obtain portraits of yourself, or family and friends. Now a days digital photography has made producing a portrait a task almost anyone can do in the comfort of their own home, for a low cost, and minimal amount of work. You no longer need to worry about preserving your portrait, because digital photography, and the advancement of camera’s has allowed us to save copies, or negatives, at home, or on our computers, back-up disks, and external hard drives. Today technology has allowed the least artistic, or creative person to be able to take a portrait that is aesthetically and visually pleasing. We can now Photoshop and edit our photographs, as well as displaying them to the public from our own homes. There is no need to worry about the cost of error, because digital photography allows us to view our portraits before print and production takes place.
Galleries and the media are not the only sources to display photography anymore. Websites like flicker, myspace, facebook, photo-bucket, and blogs allow us to share, and display our own portraits to the masses. Technology over the years has allowed us to embrace photography in our own homes, schools, and communities. It’s no longer a gender, or class specific art. You don’t have to be an inventor, or scientist to enjoy photography. There’s no need to spend an excess of money on this art form anymore. People of all walks of like can enjoy and flourish in photography.
This portrait of United States President Barack Obama represents the amalgamation of vintage portraits and digital photography. For the first time in history the office took a digital photographic portrait of President Obama. This image will become part of the permenate collection at the National Portrait Gallery. This piece was done by a street artist
-Shepard Fairey-
The earliest portrait miniature,
and possibly the earliest formal self-portrait.
1. When photography entered the public domain in 1839, some would say that the ‘portrait’ helped popularize photography with the masses. When photographic portraits first originated they played a huge role in social development, especially in Western Europe. Photographic portraits were first used as a way for people trying to climb the social ladder to visually display and affirm their new social status. Not only to one’s self, but to the world around them. I believe that this mentality is still prevalent today. If you think about facebook, it allows people to display their ‘lives’, or snapshots of their lives to their entire social network, as well as strangers. They use their self-portraits, or photo’s as a way to show society, and their friends what they’re up to, what they’re about, and even to display their material possessions. (Jewellery, make-up, hair, tattoos).
Portraits have evolved through time, and one popular phase was miniature portraits. It fulfilled people with the desire of personal charm. It allowed people to carry with them small portraits of loved ones, or far away family members. Miniature portraits were still used as social/status symbols, but began to die out when middle classes became more secure. Today I think of miniatures as a symbol of the past. Some people may have lockets which contain miniature portraits of deceased, or older family members. I believe that the 21st century’s answer to the miniature portrait is wallet sized snapshots, like the kind you could receive each year through school.
Another type of portrait that became popular in the middle of the 18th century was the silhouette. A silhouette could be created by cutting profiles from black shiny paper, and were favoured, because they were much less time consuming, inexpensive, and easy to create. The physionotrace eventually phased out miniature portraits. Physionotrace was created using a machine that combined both the silhouette, and the technique of engraving. Silhouettes are still used to today, predominately in graffiti, or artistic works.
One other area of the portrait is the Carte-de-Visite. A small photograph usually made from an albumen print and then mounted on a thick paper card. This type of portrait became a craze for a while in Europe, and North America, and is still present in today’s society. Sports cards, postcards, and Hallmark greeting cards, are examples of the Carte-de-Visite today.
2. In the past photographers were artists (painters), inventors, tradesmen, and local citizens who recognized the potential for income, in this new and aspiring field. In the past photographers could be largely characterized as inventors, or scientists. In the past you really had to hone your craft, and build your skills to a certain level. The equipment and technology used then was more complex, and required a much larger devotion then photography in the present. Since the medium was so new and exciting, many changes and advancements were made in a short time. Today with the advancement of technology, average people can become photographers in their own homes, no laboratories, or studio’s required.
The subjects of photography in the past were; Key social figures like politicians, royalty, and celebrities. Landscapes and distant lands that were new and exciting for people to finally be exposed to without having to travel to those destinations. Family members, loved ones, and friends were another popular subject of photography. Historic events, for example images of war, poverty, culture, and religion were other sources of popular photography.
I believe that the subjects of photography haven’t differed much from the past. People are still interested in documenting the same issues and curiosities through photo’s as in the past. What I do think has changed and evolved, is that in the past it would be rather difficult for a painter, or photographer to create a self-portrait, of him, or herself given the labour and technology of the time. In today’s age taking ones own photograph is extremely quick, easy, and affordable. Another difference I have noticed is that in the past photography seemed like more of a male dominated art form. Today there are many famous female photographers. In addition to gender, class also played an important role. In the past wealthier people could afford to have the portraits done, or buy photo’s of landscapes and celebrities, and most times people of lower classes were excluded from this.
3. The impact of technology on portraits in the past has greatly influenced today’s standard portrait. Technology has allowed portraits to evolve from a long tedious, expensive process, to a medium and tool found in most people’s homes across North America, and Europe. When portraits first originated, they were not easily duplicated. After many hours of hard work and labour, one copy was presented to the buyer. With the rise and popularity of portraits, the demand to reproduce and make alternate copies (now known as negatives) available was met through technology. In the past you would have to source out an artist, or photographer to obtain portraits of yourself, or family and friends. Now a days digital photography has made producing a portrait a task almost anyone can do in the comfort of their own home, for a low cost, and minimal amount of work. You no longer need to worry about preserving your portrait, because digital photography, and the advancement of camera’s has allowed us to save copies, or negatives, at home, or on our computers, back-up disks, and external hard drives. Today technology has allowed the least artistic, or creative person to be able to take a portrait that is aesthetically and visually pleasing. We can now Photoshop and edit our photographs, as well as displaying them to the public from our own homes. There is no need to worry about the cost of error, because digital photography allows us to view our portraits before print and production takes place.
Galleries and the media are not the only sources to display photography anymore. Websites like flicker, myspace, facebook, photo-bucket, and blogs allow us to share, and display our own portraits to the masses. Technology over the years has allowed us to embrace photography in our own homes, schools, and communities. It’s no longer a gender, or class specific art. You don’t have to be an inventor, or scientist to enjoy photography. There’s no need to spend an excess of money on this art form anymore. People of all walks of like can enjoy and flourish in photography.
This portrait of United States President Barack Obama represents the amalgamation of vintage portraits and digital photography. For the first time in history the office took a digital photographic portrait of President Obama. This image will become part of the permenate collection at the National Portrait Gallery. This piece was done by a street artist
-Shepard Fairey-
