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1936 Vintage ~ SURREAL CHILD Portrait Storm Weather Children ~ WILLIAM MORTENSEN |
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FINEPHOTO: "Since 1989 - The Name You Can Trust For Fine Vintage Photogravures, Photographs & Antique Prints." - Serving the Design & Decor trades for over 20 years. See our vintage and original prints featured in Coastal Living, Dwell Magazine and other fine quality publications.
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Print Specifications:Photographer: William Mortensen (American, 1897 - 1965) - Controversial and historically significant American photographer - known for pictorial and experimental imagery. See below for additional information.
Title: "THUNDER"
Subject: Surreal portrait of young girl.
Date Of Negative: 1935
Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Héliogravure.
Date Of Print: 1936
Paper: Medium weight, rag type, matte finish.
Print/Plate Maker: D.H. Murnik, Oakland California.
Print Origin: U.S.A.
Approximate Image Size: 10.25 x 8.25 inches (not including print border)
Approximate Size Metric: 26.25 x 21.2 centimeters (not including print border)
Print Border: No - full bleed print.
Condition Grade: Fine++
Verso: Blank
Registered Vintage Print Serial #: 1D4WM12X
Certificate Of Authenticity (COA): Yes - individual hand signed COA
Shipping: USPS with MUSEUM QUALITY ARCHIVAL PACKING
Guarantee: Always 100% Complete Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Is it drawing, etching or is it some sort of photography? IT IS PHOTOGRAPHY! This is an authentic (NOT a modern reprint), vintage 1936 photogravure by the controversial American photographer William Mortensen. The negative was made in 1935 by Mortensen and the image depicting a thirteen year old girl in awe of a powerful storm was entitled "Thunder". Using a live model and complex manual manipulations of the final print, Mortensen rendered this emotionally charged image with startling realism. As a pictorialist, Mortensen strived to create/capture "characters" felt that historical characters considered symbolic or an exemplification of a universal type or emotion. In his own words Mortensen described the image: "In Thunder, for example, is represented the primitive human awe in the presence of Nature. We all share this awe, despite our various degrees of sophistication."
Known as the "Michelangelo of Photography", William Mortensen's career spanned from 1923 through the early 1960's with his most famous and noteworthy work being produced in the 1920's through the 1930's. He was one of the most famous photographic artists of his day and an important and influential artist in American history. His unique and innovative work has been called "radical, shocking, unorthodox," even "subversive" - shocking the photographic world of his time. Thought of by many as a genius ahead of his time, he was none-the-less disdained by many "straight" photographers of his day including Ansel Adams, who referred to Mortensen as alternately the "Devil", and "the anti-Christ". A true pictorialist, Mortensen used anything and everything to tell a story in his images from elaborate costumes to drawing backgrounds on the prints with charcoal pencils to help round out the story.
An influential technical innovator who mixed the idioms of classical art and literature with Hollywood glamour and illusion, Mortensen's hybrid approach ran cross current against the mainstream "straight" photography of his era and made him a controversial figure in American photography. His photographic techniques involved extensive and complex darkroom and manual manipulations (including custom made texture screens, abrasion, scraping and drawing) of the final print to achieve a look that resembles a cross between a photograph and an etching or drawing. His subject matter was often controversial in nature, especially for the time period, ranging from nudes to character impersonations and dramatic pictorial scenes, some of a foreboding and dark nature. The unique look of his prints made him a virtual "superstar" in the photographic world during his heyday and today his work is sought after by collectors. This plate is from a high quality bound photogravure compilation of his finest work published by Mortensen in the mid 1930's which is now extremely rare. William Mortensen died in 1965.
This photogravure print is guaranteed to be authentic and comes with a hand signed CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) with unique individual registered serial number from the Finephoto Vintage Archive & Database. Under magnification this plate shows a tight "honeycomb", excellent pressing of ink and a wide range of tone - all indicative of a quality sheet fed gravure print. The watermark word "Finephoto" does not appear on the actual print.
READY FOR FRAMING & DISPLAY! - The expensive engraved copper plate photogravure process and the resulting fine prints make vintage photogravures highly collectible and excellent vintage prints for framing. Your vintage print will arrive ready to be placed directly into a standard size frame.
HOLOGRAM CERTIFIED: Each vintage artwork comes with a fully authenticated gallery certified Certificate Of Authenticity. This COA contains a unique serial number and small corresponding tamper proof hologram with matching serial number affixed to the backside of the print with archival adhesive. Our exclusive authentication system and the ensuing COA/Hologram not only provides our clients with essential peace of mind but, adds value to the print in the future by providing provenance and the original gallery authenticity guarantee documents.
ABOUT PHOTOGRAVURE: Photogravure is an intaglio printmaking process utilizing a carefully etched copper plate made from the original negative/image. Prints are made by pressing suitable paper heavily down upon the inked copper plate which has been intricately etched to varying depths corresponding with the actual tonality of the original negative, This precisely etched plate combined with a fine "honeycomb" screen controls the amount of ink to be transferred to the paper at any given point in direct proportion to the variation of tone in the original image. The result is a true continuous tone print which combines many qualities of a traditional silver based photograph with a tactile feel similar to an etching, engraving or lithograph. Rich in tonal detail, the photogravure process produces delicately rendered shades for a look which is unique in the world of photographic print making. In the early to mid 1900's photogravure was selected (when budgets allowed) for special high quality publishing and portfolio projects, but due to its significant expense and labor, the process is rarely seen today. From Man Ray and Ruth Bernhard to Brett Weston and Ansel Adams, many of the world's most renowned photographic masters have published their images in the rich photogravure process.
***WARNING: The above listing description is COPYRIGHT protected material under United States & International Copyright & Intellectual Property laws. Unauthorized copying or use of ANY PART of this description is prohibited. We vigorously pursue copyright infringement. The entire text of this listing description is Copyright protected - © by K.W. Wright. |
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