Notman - Composite reproduction,
continued
In broad strokes, the entrepreneurial Scott settled in Canada, impressed Queen Victoria with some photographic (after all, at the time it was a novelty) gifts in the theme of Canadiana and became "Photographer to the Queen". Over time he formed several highly successful businesses and partnerships. His favourable reputation was growing.
With ample financial resources, equipment and a "stable"
of photographers whom he trained himself Notman has elevated himself to a
position of a Photographer to the Establishment. He became the Establishment.
I
was once asked to reproduce the work of Notman from the collection of
the Geological Society of Canada. It was one of his composites
representing the directorate and prominent member of the GSC, a
predecessor to the National Resources (NRCan), the important department
of the Government of Canada.
First-time encounter with the proto-analog Photoshop!
 |
By the way, I do own a licensed version of this
Shutterstock image, but it's large and I am rushing,
so here is a small thingy to illustrate my thought... |
At a distance the work resembles an older,
sepia-toned photograph, but soon the nature of its painted background
and the quirky perspective of the poses and visible retouches to the
edges of the photographic segments unveils more of its origin and
methodology.
Obviously, Mr. Notman's studio
was asked to produce a document of the certain group of members. Unable
to secure the presence of all his models at once he devised a method
that would keep them all present, nicely composed and "looking
presentably" regardless of anybody's schedule.
The collected photographs of individual members
were arranged them in a more-or-less realistic
scale and perspective and collaged, cutting around
like paper dolls.
But what it actually was looked like this:
Notman's idea of collaging the group composition from individual photographs was backed with a gouache painted interior.
Film about the art of photo-collaging before the end of the 19th century:
Video Clip on Collaging
Another Composite is shown here:
Duncan drawing room group
A book on art by Antoni Romaszewski entitled "Personal Diary" launched at the vernissage, written and edited by Antoni's long term companion and a collector of his work, Francine Brousseau.
