Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique

The relationship between painting and photography has been dynamic since its invention in 1839. Seeking its place among the arts, photography was a useful tool for many. In this way portraits were made, which before the invention of photography were the privilege of higher social strata, and their p...

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Main Authors: Korolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela, Mijić Snežana, Mandić Željko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Akademija umetnosti Univerziteta u Novom Sadu 2022-01-01
Series:Zbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2022/2334-86662210115K.pdf
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author Korolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela
Mijić Snežana
Mandić Željko
author_facet Korolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela
Mijić Snežana
Mandić Željko
author_sort Korolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela
collection DOAJ
description The relationship between painting and photography has been dynamic since its invention in 1839. Seeking its place among the arts, photography was a useful tool for many. In this way portraits were made, which before the invention of photography were the privilege of higher social strata, and their production required spending long hours in a painting studio. With the advent of photography, portraits of individuals and entire families have become much more accessible to ordinary people, and the new technique has gained immense popularity. The possibility of getting portraits from photos as a status symbol was very tempting. In order to respond to such requests from clients, photographic studios teamed up with painters to create oil portraits painted from photography made on canvas. Such portraits became a substitute for classic painted portraits, but they were created faster and were less expensive. Often portraying important historical figures, they have found their place in museum collections. In addition to documentary value, they are also important for the history of art techniques, due to the specific way of production. Despite their popularity at the time of their creation, modern analyses of oil painted portraits made from photography on canvas are rare, and have been published mostly in conservation journals. After the introduction to the techniques and materials described in the literature, the paper presents two oil portraits from a photography made on canvas: a portrait of Isaija Oluić, abbot of the Krupa Monastery, from the fund of the Dalmatian Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, made by Vlaho Bukovac, and a portrait of Nika Mihajlović, prominent Sombor lawyer and philanthropist, from the fund of the City Museum in Sombor, painted by Uroš Predić. The analytical approach to the identification of oil painting techniques from photography (optical analysis and the analysis of materials) was pointed out, as well as the fact that they are sensitive objects in museum collections, the protection of which should be given due attention.
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spelling doaj.art-0b8235c7c0034d6bb28a3cdcd03c0c0c2022-12-22T04:07:40ZengAkademija umetnosti Univerziteta u Novom SaduZbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti2334-86662560-31082022-01-0120221011512910.5937/ZbAkU2210115K2334-86662210115KPortraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making techniqueKorolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela0Mijić Snežana1Mandić Željko2Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Akademija umetnosti, SerbiaGalerija Matice srpske, SerbiaUniverzitet u Novom Sadu, Akademija umetnosti, SerbiaThe relationship between painting and photography has been dynamic since its invention in 1839. Seeking its place among the arts, photography was a useful tool for many. In this way portraits were made, which before the invention of photography were the privilege of higher social strata, and their production required spending long hours in a painting studio. With the advent of photography, portraits of individuals and entire families have become much more accessible to ordinary people, and the new technique has gained immense popularity. The possibility of getting portraits from photos as a status symbol was very tempting. In order to respond to such requests from clients, photographic studios teamed up with painters to create oil portraits painted from photography made on canvas. Such portraits became a substitute for classic painted portraits, but they were created faster and were less expensive. Often portraying important historical figures, they have found their place in museum collections. In addition to documentary value, they are also important for the history of art techniques, due to the specific way of production. Despite their popularity at the time of their creation, modern analyses of oil painted portraits made from photography on canvas are rare, and have been published mostly in conservation journals. After the introduction to the techniques and materials described in the literature, the paper presents two oil portraits from a photography made on canvas: a portrait of Isaija Oluić, abbot of the Krupa Monastery, from the fund of the Dalmatian Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, made by Vlaho Bukovac, and a portrait of Nika Mihajlović, prominent Sombor lawyer and philanthropist, from the fund of the City Museum in Sombor, painted by Uroš Predić. The analytical approach to the identification of oil painting techniques from photography (optical analysis and the analysis of materials) was pointed out, as well as the fact that they are sensitive objects in museum collections, the protection of which should be given due attention.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2022/2334-86662210115K.pdfportraitsphotography on canvasisaija oluićnika mihajlovićpainting analysis
spellingShingle Korolija-Crkvenjakov Daniela
Mijić Snežana
Mandić Željko
Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
Zbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti
portraits
photography on canvas
isaija oluić
nika mihajlović
painting analysis
title Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
title_full Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
title_fullStr Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
title_full_unstemmed Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
title_short Portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th-century portrait making technique
title_sort portraits on canvas from photos as a 19th century portrait making technique
topic portraits
photography on canvas
isaija oluić
nika mihajlović
painting analysis
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2022/2334-86662210115K.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT korolijacrkvenjakovdaniela portraitsoncanvasfromphotosasa19thcenturyportraitmakingtechnique
AT mijicsnezana portraitsoncanvasfromphotosasa19thcenturyportraitmakingtechnique
AT mandiczeljko portraitsoncanvasfromphotosasa19thcenturyportraitmakingtechnique