ANAPOLOGYFORART

PHOTOGRAPHY.
ByO.G.REJLANDER.
ReadatameetingoftheSouthLondonPhotographicSociety,Feb.12th1863.
SOMEtimeagoyoudidmethehonourtoelectmeanhonorarymemberofthisSociety.Ifeltittobe
anhonour,andtakethisopportunityofreturningyoumywarmestthanksforthedistinction.
IhavediligentlyreadthereportsofthemeetingsoftheSouthLondonPhotographicSociety,andfind
thatthereisnobranchofphotographywithwhichyouarenotthoroughlyconversant.Whathaspleased
memostinyourproceedingshasbeentheearnestinterestyouhaveshown,andtheencouragementyou
havegiven,inraisingthesciencewepracticetothedignityofafineart.Suchcoarse,however,has
beenmuchmisunderstoodbyfriendsandfoes,andasIamanoldsinnerinthatdirectionIhavecome
forwardtobethe"horridexample,"showmycomplicity,andpresentANAPOLOGYFORART
PHOTOGRAPHY.
Indoingsoallowme,inthefirstplace,toexplainhowIfirsttumbledintophotographicart,andhowI
havebeen"bobbingaround"eversince,withoutbeingabletobenefitmyselfinthewayIhavebeen
preachingtoothers.
In1852IwasinRome,andsawphotographsoftheApolloBelvidere,theLaocoon,theTorso,Gibson's
Venus,&c.,&c.,whichIboughtandstudied;andIwasdelightedtohaveafairchanceofmeasuring
therelativeproportionsoftheantiqueontheflatandtruecopiesoftheoriginals.Thatwasmyfirst
acquaintancewiththefairresultsofphotography.Imerelyrecollectedhavingseensomereddish
landscapephotographstheyearbeforeatAckermann's,inRegentStreet,butthesemadenoimpression
onme.WhatIsawintheExhibitionsof1851hadprovedasevanescentaslookingatmyselfina
glass"outofsightomitofmind."TheywereallDaguerreotypes.Itawakenedinmeatthemoment
nothingbutcuriosity.ButinRomeIwasfairlytakenwiththecapabilitiesoftheart,soImadeupmy
mindtostudyphotographyassoonasIreturnedtoEngland.
Myviewatthisperiod,tothebestofmyrecollection,didnotextendfartherthanshowingmethe
usefulnessofphotographyinenablingmetotakechildren'sportraits,inaidofpainting,andforstudies
forforegroundsinlandscapes.
In1853,havinginquiredinLondonforagoodteacher,IwasdirectedtoHenneman.Weagreedforso
muchforthreeorfivelessons;but,asIwasinahurrytogetbacktothecountry,Itookallthelessons
duringoneafternoonthreehoursinthecalotypeandwaxedpaperprocess,andhalfanhoursufficed
forthecollodionprocess!!Hespoke,Iwrote;butIwastooclever.Itwouldhavesavedmeayearor
moreoftroubleandexpensehadIattendedcarefullytotherudimentsoftheartforamonth.
Itiscurioustonoticehowfrequentlytriflesdecidesomemen'sactions.Whatreallyhurriedmeforward
wasmyhavingseenthephotographofagentleman,andthisfoldinhiscoatsleevewasjustthevery
thingIrequiredforaportraitIwasthenpaintingathome,andcouldnotpleasemyselfinthisparticular
point.Mysitterhadnottimeorinclinationtositforit;mylayfigurewastoothin(Isoonsoldthat);but
thiswasjust"likelife!""Now,"saidI,"IshallgetallIwant."Icouldnotexerciseproperpatience.I
thereforetookallthelessonsatones,toturnoutasareadymadephotographerthenextday.Alas!fora
verylongperiodmyattemptsatphotographyresembledthoseofayoungMissatthepiano,looking
alternatelyatthemusicandthekeys.IfIhadtospeakatthetimeofoperation,Iveryeasilywent
wrongoftendrawinguptheshutteroftheplateholderwiththecollodionisedplateoutside!

IcannotforbearmentioningthatsomeoftheearliestportraitsthatItook,andwhichIhadsensitised
withammonianitrate,areasvigorousnowastheywerethen,althoughtheyhadbutthreechangesof
watertenminutesoraquarterofanhourineachdishafterhypo.,asmyinstructorhadtoldme
whileothers,andlater,accordingtotheusualprocess,haveprovedastreacherousasabadmemory.At
lengthMaxwellLytelethislightinonmymanipulationsbythepublicationofthealkalinegoldtoning
process.AtthattimeIwasnearlygivingupphotography.IfeltasifIwereonlywritinginsand.
Myfirstattemptat"doubleprinting,"assomecallit,wasexhibitedinLondonin1855.Itwasnamedin
thecatalogueGroupePrintedfromThreeNegatives.ThatplanIhituponthroughsheervexation,
becauseIcouldnotgetagentleman'sfigureinfocus,thoughhewasclosebehindasofaonwhichtwo
ladieswereseated.UptothistimeIconsideredposturesontheprincipleofbasreliefsitisasfew
foreshorteningsaspossible;butnowIfeltfreer.
IwillnowtellyouhowIfirstdriftedintomakingphotographicpictures;anditseemstomethatany
onemightexcusemeevenMr.Suttonafterhearingit.Ihadtakenagroupoftwo.Theywere
expressiveandcomposedwell.Thelightwasgood,andthechemistryofitsuccessful.Averygood
artistwasstayingintheneighbourhood,engagedonsomecommission.Hecalled,sawthispicture,was
verymuchdelightedwithit,andsowasI.Beforeheleftmyhousehelookedatthepictureagain,and
saiditwas"marvellous;"butadded:"Now,ifIhaddrawnthat,1shouldhaveintroducedanother
figurebetweenthem,orsomelightobjecttokeepthemtogether.Youseethereiswhereyou
photographersareatfault.Goodmorning!"Isnappedmyfingersafterheleftbutnotathimand
exclaimedaloud,"Icandoit!"TwodaysafterwardsIcalledatmyartistfriend'shotel,asproudas
anybody.Helookedatmypictureandatme,andtooksnufftwice.Hesaid"Thisisanotherpicture."
"No,"saidI,"itisthesame,exceptwiththeadditionyousuggested.""Never!"heexclaimed;"andhow
isitpossible?Youshouldpatentthat!"***Well,ourinterviewendedwithanothersuggestionthatif
abasketorsomethingelsehadbeenontheleftsideintheforegrounditwouldhavegivengreaterdepth
tothepictureandaddingthatthelightdressofthefemaleontheshadysidewasnotshadyordark
enough.Iagreedfullywithmyfriend'scriticism;and,afteraweek,Isenttohim,toLondon,the
pictureamendedasapresent.Hewrotesometimeafterwardsandthankedme,sayingthatitwasvery
successful;but(hewrote),ofcourse,nowthatthatwasknown,anyonewhopractisedphotography
coulddoit.***Thiswasmyfirstsipatthesweetandbittercupinmyphotographiccareer.*A
thoughtofthesharehehadinthisfirsteffortincompositionphotographydidnotoccurtomyfriend.I
shouldverylikelynothavedoneitbutforhis"youcan't!"Nowwhyshouldthiscauseallthefussand
abuseforinterferingwithlegitimateart?Tomedoubleprintingseemsmostnatural.Vignettingis
allowedandadmired.Themanualpartofphotographiccompositionisbutwholesalevignetting.Ithas
provedmostusefulinportraiturewhenafamilygroupwastobetaken;forifonefiguremoved,heor
shecouldbetakenoveragainalone,andputinafterwards;or,whatisstillbetter,asketchofthegroup
mayfirstbemade,thentakeeachfigureseparatelyfortheneachwouldbemoreperfectandprint
theminagreeablywiththesketch.
ButpleasetobelievethatIdidnotlookuponphotographyasanultimateart,oranartdependingon
itself,orcompleteinitself,exceptdetails;thoughIcanguessofitsextendedapplicability,orrather
plasticity.InalmostalltheartstudiesIhavemade,Ihavehadoneobjectinviewtheywereforthe
useofartists;andifIhadnotdonethem,howcouldartists,whoarenotacquaintedwithphotography,
knowwhatcouldbedone?Theyknownow,andtheyavailthemselvesofit.
Butasthereisnomindinthephotographicpicture,soaccordingtosomeitcannotcontainanynew
idea,pose,light,orexpressioncapableofrepresentingimpressionsproducedonthehumanmind,and
"notbeingtheworkofman"itmustbe,indirectly,theworkofthedeviland,sinceas"theworkof
manisindirectlytheworkofGod,"asMr.Suttonhasit,wherearewetogoto?
StillIthinkhighlyofphotography.Itisfair,open,andaboveboard.Thereisnoshamaboutitno
pretensionstoanythingthatisnotdesirable.Andtheworldwouldn'tbewithoutit,inallitsbranches
includingtheoneImostpractise,artstudiesanddetailsfromthelife.Thoughtomethisbranchofthe
artisunprofitable,yetitgivesmepleasure.Iliveinit,ifnotbyit.Astothosedreadfulcomposition
photographs,Ihaveonlyexecutedonesincethe"abominable"TwoWaysofLive,andthatoneImeant

asasetofftotheother,andcalledittheScriptureReader;butthatwasneithergoodnorbadenoughto
attractanynoticewhatever.Ihavenotexhibitedforsomeyears,soIthinkImighthavebeenletalone.
IhavebeensoillusedandabusedaboutthepictureoftheTwoWaysofLife,Ishouldbegladtoonce
morenotdescribeit,asIdidtotheCentralSocietybutexplainthatitwasdedicatedtoEnglish
artists,whichdedicationwaswrittenundertheoneexhibitedattheManchesterExhibition;notasa
challenge,forthatwouldhavebeenridiculousbuttoshowvariousstudiesfromnature,whichatthat
timewererathernovel.Andagain,asthemostdifficultdrawingisthatfromthelivingmodel,I
presumedtherebytopointoutahandmaidtoartnotaloneinfulllight,butinshadeyettransparent.
Eachfigurewasmeantasaspecimenofvarietyoflightandshade.Idislikeamerenude,ifit(apart
fromstudy)conveysnoidea.SoIbroughtallthefigurestogetheraswellasIcould,andgavethe
resultingpictureaname.Thiscompositionwasalsomeanttoshowthattheremightbealittlerealsun
paintingemployedwhenneeded,toharmoniseorsoftenharsherlightinphotographs.Theseareindeed
noafterthoughts.
Iwillnottireyouwithfurtherdescription.ThosethatobjectedtotheTwoWaysofLivebeingexhibited
hadaperfectrighttotheiropinion;buttheyhavenonighttoaskthenamesorprofessionorreligionof
models,stilllesstousevileepithetsinspeakingofthem,asMr.Suttonhasdoneinhispaperread
beforethePhotographicSocietyofScotland.Whenchildrenareinconvenientlyinquisitive,wetell
themtheywere"foundinaparsleybed;"andasimilaranswermightbegiventothosewhocannotor
willnotcomprehendthematter.Therearemanyfemalemodelswhosegoodnameisasdeartothemas
toanyotherwoman.ButIprefertobelievethatMr.Suttondidnotusethoseharshexpressionsonmere
supposition;butthathemayhavebeenmisinformed,inhissearchforthetruth,bythosewhowishedto
increasetheirattractionbysayingthattheyhadbeenmodelsforMr.SoandSo;forIhavebeentold
thatthatisnotanuncommonpractice.OfcourseIneednotbeashamedtosayIhaveheardit.
Mr.Suttonisaveryhastywriter,andisoftenwronginconsequence;yetheisalwaysfrankenoughto
admithiserrorwhenconvincedthatheiswrong.Thisopinionisformedonmylongreadingofthe
Notes,towhichIhavebeenasubscriberfromitsfirstpublication,untilIremovedtoLondon,whenI
missedit,orithasmissedme,owingtosayhavingforgottentosendmynewaddress.Ihavealways
foundtheNotesfullofpromisinginformation.
ItisveryhardbutImustconfessitthatIpositivelydarenotnowmakeacompositionphotograph,
evenifIthoughtthatitmightbeveryperfect.IhavebroughtwithmeasketchoverwhichIhave
thoughtforaverylongtime.Uptothismomentitisaworkofart.Isitnot?Thesamewayapainter
goesifhemeanstopaintaphotographermustgoifhewishestomakeacompositionphotograph.The
twogotogetherparthere,andmeetagain.
Fineartconsistsofmanyparts;andaphotographiccompositioncommencedinthismannermust
containmanypartsincommonwithart;andevenwheretheypartcompanyphotographicartdoesnot
standstill,butproceedsandgathersothermeritsonanotherroadthoughamorehumbleone,yetfull
ofdifficultiesrequiringmuchthoughtandskilluptothelastmoment,whentheyagainconverge,inthe
productionoflightshade,andreflectedlightswhichhavebeenpredeterminedingeneralkeepingand
arialperspective.
Thereisnovalidreasonforsayingthatbecauseyouhavenotseenagoodphotographiccomposition,
therecouldnotbeone.Ibelievetherecanbeproducedevenafterallthathasbeendonewonderful
picturesbyphotography.Andwhyaretherenogoodartphotographs?Becauseitrequiresartandlong
trainingtoexecutethem,besideencouragement.Idonotbelieveinhaphazardexcellence.
Photography,inmyopinionisessentiallyexcellentfordetails.Youmaytaketwentygoodfigures
separately,buttheycannotbetakenatonce.Youcannottakeevenfourgoodonesatonce;butthenyou
cannotdraworpaintapictureatonce.
Ibelievephotographywillmakepaintersbetterartistsandmorecarefuldraughtsmen.Youmaytest
theirfiguresbyphotography.InTitian'sVenusandAdonis,Venushasherheadturnedinnamanner
thatnofemalecouldturnitandatthesametimeshowsomuchofherback.Herrightlegalsoistoo

long.Ihaveprovedthecorrectnessofthisopinionbyphotographywithvariouslyshapedfemale
models.InPeaceandWar,byReubens,thebackofthefemalewiththebasketispaintedfromamale,
asprovedbythesametest.
TherealgoodoldpainterssuchasRaffaelle,LeonardodaVinci,Luini,Velasquez,Teniers,Titian
youoftenfindreflectedinphotographyinapparentfinishandeffect.IcanexemplifypresentlywhatI
meanbythephotographswhicharenowbeforeyou.
Therearemanywaysinwhichphotographycanproveusefultoartists,althoughfewofthemareaware
ofit.Hereisone:Aftertheyhavemadetheirsketch,oruncolouredcartoon,theymayhavea
photographtakenfromit;andthenonthepreparedalbumenpapertheymayplaywithcoloursasmuch
astheylike,untiltheyarriveatwhattheywishfortheirpainting;forawetbrushremovesanycolour
objectedto,justasifithadneverbeenthere,yettheoutlineunderneathremainsthesame.
Oneofthereasonswhypaintersaretroubledinusingaphotographtopaintfrom,isthatalmostin
everycase(Iamnowspeakingofportraitsorfigurepictures)thelightonthephotographsisdifferent
tothatonthesitterattheartist'sstudio.Hereisasourceofconfusionandvexation.Ihaveoftenfeltit,
andwishedthatIhadnotlookedatthephotograph;yetitsavedthetimeofthesitter.Butifa
photographicstudyistakeninalightsimilartothatatartists'studiosgenerally,andthatbeenlarged,if
theartistgetsthesamemodelorsitterintohisownstudio,theworkisonlypleasure.
Ithinkpicturedealersare,orhavebeen,frominterestedmotives,thegreatestopponentsto
photography,andtheyhavegreatinfluence.Astoartcritics,theyvarysomuchintheiropinionfrom
oneyeartoanother,anddiffersomuchbetweenthemselves,Iaminducedtoconcludethattheywrite
generallyfromtheinformationtheyhavereceivedfrompersonstheytrustto;forIbelieveifthey
possessedeventhedatathatwehave,theywouldbemoreChristianlikeratherhelpwiththeir
criticismthandamnwiththeirsneers.ThoughindividuallyImustnotcomplainmuch.Ihavehad
praise,andIwassilent.Latelythetableshavebeenturned,andfroma"successfuldelineator,"&c.,
happyincatchingtransientexpressions,Ihadcomedowntobea"cleveroperator,"whenrecentlyI
wasreducedtothepositionofa"manipulator"inanoticeandsuchanotice!intheAthenaeumofan
allegoricallytreatedphotographofGaribaldiWounded,SupportedbyHope,PointingtoRome.My
intentioninthisphotographwastoshowthatmyopinionoftheherowasthatheneverwouldgiveup
theideaofpossessingRome.ButinthenoticeintheAthenaeumabovealludedtoIwasrudelytakento
task.ItwasintimatedthatIhadpaidmymodel1s.6d.perhour,whenImyselfwasthemodel,and
neverrealised6d.perhour!Aftermymanydays'trials,andheavyprintingexpenses,mypublisher
ceasedtoorderimmediatelyuponthatvetobeingplaceduponthepicture.Ihopedtohavesecuredan
adequatereturnfromitspublication:Ineverhadacatchpennyyet.Butwhatangeredmemostwasthat
thecriticcalledthephotographindecent!Icannotguessinwhat.
Afunnythingitisthatsomepeopleactuallypreferthechalkingsofaboyonthewallsandshutterto
thefinestphotographicpictures!Justthinkhowsuperiorarethemackerelandshipatseawefind
drawnonthepavementincolouredchalks!Iamambitious,too
"IwishIwasinDixie!Ido!Ido!"
Ihavehereapicture,**inwhichIhaveattemptedtodrawsomething,likeagoodboy,andbegthe
Chairman'sacceptanceofit.Ionlywishtherehadbeenanothersunnyday,tohaveenabledmetohave
madeitmoreperfect.Itisarealsunpainting,orratherithasbeenpaintedbymewithpencilsoflight
aboutninetythreemillionsofmileslong!andthepointsvaryingconsiderably.Iexposeditsomuchto
diffuseddaylightforwantofsun,thatIhavebeenobligedtotakeupsomelightsstillthathavebeen
donechemicallybythecyanideofpotassium.WhenIpainteditIalmostimaginedIhearditsnotes
whistling.Now,USEPHOTOGRAPHYDON'TABUSEIT.
*

Itisnotdifficulttounderstandthevaguenotionsofanartistthefirsttimeheseessuchathing
accomplishedsucharesultinasshortatimewhencomparedwithhisownlaboriousmethod.

**

Adonkey'shead,drawnbylightalone,guidedbyme.