[Studies for photosculpture of a seated child]
Photograph
[Studies for photosculpture of a seated child]
ca. 1865
Albumen silver prints
Image (each): 1 3/8 × 1 3/4 in. (3.5 × 4.4 cm)
Mount (each): 2 9/16 × 11 1/4 in. (6.5 × 28.6 cm)
Gift of Eastman Kodak Company, ex-collection Gabriel Cromer
1981.2795.0011a-d
DescriptionFour strips now removed from mount.
Each strip has six albumen photographs mounted together for a total of twenty four photographs on four strips which document a child sitting on a bench, and supported by a headrest and shoulder suppport. The exposures show this subject from six points around Willème's circular photosculpture stand divided in 24 increments.The images document a child sitting in a bench on the dais and supported by a headrest and shoulder support. The exposures show this subject from thirty-six points around a 360 degree path.
In 1860 François Willème devised a novel method to make sculptures by photography. Subjects were asked to sit or stand on a platform below a circular skylight. The circular interior of the studio was equipped with twenty four cameras, mounted in niches around the room. A single lever controlled the cameras to make simultaneous exposures of the subject from twenty four different angles. The result was a complete set of negatives, each being a different record of the subject.
The negatives were used to produce paper prints which were trimmed to reveal an outline silhouette. These silhouette patterns were traced upon thin sheets of wood that were tapered thinner along the opposite edge. The contours were then cut from the wood sheets and the pieces assembled like the segments of an orange, resulting in a statue of the sitter. Some final sanding was required to remove the step-like surface of the wood sheets.
Each strip has six albumen photographs mounted together for a total of twenty four photographs on four strips which document a child sitting on a bench, and supported by a headrest and shoulder suppport. The exposures show this subject from six points around Willème's circular photosculpture stand divided in 24 increments.The images document a child sitting in a bench on the dais and supported by a headrest and shoulder support. The exposures show this subject from thirty-six points around a 360 degree path.
In 1860 François Willème devised a novel method to make sculptures by photography. Subjects were asked to sit or stand on a platform below a circular skylight. The circular interior of the studio was equipped with twenty four cameras, mounted in niches around the room. A single lever controlled the cameras to make simultaneous exposures of the subject from twenty four different angles. The result was a complete set of negatives, each being a different record of the subject.
The negatives were used to produce paper prints which were trimmed to reveal an outline silhouette. These silhouette patterns were traced upon thin sheets of wood that were tapered thinner along the opposite edge. The contours were then cut from the wood sheets and the pieces assembled like the segments of an orange, resulting in a statue of the sitter. Some final sanding was required to remove the step-like surface of the wood sheets.
Inscriptions Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto a, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso a, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso a, BR: 19 à 24
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto b, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso b, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso b, BR: 13 à 18
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto c, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso c, C: Collection photo de G. Cromer - Photosculpture de Willème - \ Série complète et un des premiers essais de Willème. Le modèle était probablement \ l'une de ses filles. - Il opérait dans un atelier ordinaire de photographie, et faisait tourner l'appareil autour \ du modèle, donc, 24 poses successives. \ Série probablement unique. \ Willème est au fond dans poses 11 et 12. \ Clichés 1/9eme de plaque, = 4 x 5 \ On voit déjà la [illegible] et le fil la soutenant, qui servent de repère pour centrer les \ diverses images dans le travail du photographe. \ 1 à 6
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto d, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso d, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso d, BR: 7 à 12
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso a, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso a, BR: 19 à 24
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto b, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso b, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso b, BR: 13 à 18
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto c, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso c, C: Collection photo de G. Cromer - Photosculpture de Willème - \ Série complète et un des premiers essais de Willème. Le modèle était probablement \ l'une de ses filles. - Il opérait dans un atelier ordinaire de photographie, et faisait tourner l'appareil autour \ du modèle, donc, 24 poses successives. \ Série probablement unique. \ Willème est au fond dans poses 11 et 12. \ Clichés 1/9eme de plaque, = 4 x 5 \ On voit déjà la [illegible] et le fil la soutenant, qui servent de repère pour centrer les \ diverses images dans le travail du photographe. \ 1 à 6
Inscribed in pencil (Cromer's hand) on recto d, BL: 3)
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso d, T: Collection photo G. Cromer \ Photosculpture Willème
Inscribed in ink (Cromer's hand) on verso d, BR: 7 à 12
