Gum Printing
RE – CREATING THE PAST ……
PICTORIALISM (1890 – 1930)
A way of recognition and integration of photography, as major mean of expression in the fascinating world of the “ BEAUX ARTS “ among the turn of the 19th – 20th century.
One century later, the recent development of digital image creates
a more romantic revival for processes from the past like …
THE “ GUM BICHROMATE “ PROCESS :
A positive image on an aquarel paper support.
Introduced in1894 by A.Rouillé-Ladévèze. It did not reach full popularity until fourty years later when used by Alfred Maskell of England and Robert Demachy of Paris,
who are credited for naming the process.
This is a highly controllable process like the BROMOIL process.
The paper is coated with gum Arabic containing a earth pigment or a water-colour pigment (almost any pigment can be used), sensitized in potassium bichromate and contact-printed with a negative exposed by UV-light. The exposed print is washed in warm water so that only a hardened, insoluble area is left. The process can be modified by brushing while washing so that t he print would resemble crayon or charcoal drawings.
THIS IS THE STAGE AT WHICH THE FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER CROSSES OVER THE BORDER INTO THE DOMAIN OF THE ARTIST AND ART PRINTMAKER.
Called “ PICTORIALISM “.
His personal taste and feeling may also be expressed to such a degree that each print may possess distinct, individual characteristics,
unlike those attainable with commercially-made materials.
The process is able to be repeated as many times as desired in order to built up a range of colour or very subtle tones. Because of this quality , prints vary greatly in finished appearance, but can always be recognized by the lack of fine detail and the absence of grain in the image. The resulting beauty repays the necessary effort.
The image becomes an ARCHIVAL VALUE and the process is by definition
called “ ALTERNATIV “.
Some critics went so far as to declare that prints so produced could not be called photographs. Because of this philosophical and visual kinship to the traditional fine arts,
the photographs are often called pictorial high art, or salon photographs.
Pictorialism, between photography and painting, as a means of expression, was understood
t o be a reflection of personal values of conduct and experience,
based on the notion of aesthetic significance and tradition.
The first wave of PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY was SYMBOLIST oriented and
the end product, mostly, was impressionist in treatment.
It is now well documented that the medium of photography was practiced by numerous late-1900th century artists.
Among the most noteworthy was Edgard Degas (1834-1917), who adopted the impressionist compositional device of the close-up borrowed from photography.
Many artists left painting for photography.
Edward Steichen, Gertrude Käsebier and Alvin Langdon Coburn are among the better known.
