1 volume (147 photographs in 49 photocollages) : albumen prints, ink drawings ; volume 31 x 30 cm
Holdings:
Rare Books and Manuscripts Folio A 2019 32Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
Copyright Status:
Copyright Not Evaluated
Classification:
Photographs
Notes:
The art of photocollage, with compositions assembled from photographs, drawings, and watercolors, grew in prevalence in the 1860s and 1870s. In Britain, the works -- at turns comic, whimsical, or witty -- were usually compiled by women of Victorian high society. The art form is described in: Siegel, Elizabeth. Playing with pictures: the art of Victorian photocollage (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, in association with Yale University Press, 2009).Bound in black leather, the initials "T.F." (or "J.F.") stamped in gold on the front cover; original spine now lacking.The album includes 49 photocollaged compositions, combining albumen prints with drawings in black ink, along with one drawing without a photograph. The photocollages vary in complexity: the most elaborate include a theater scene, an illustrated auction catalogue, and a sculptor's studio. The skill of the compiler is displayed to effect in scenes that involve multiple figures arranged with careful attention to the way in which each person or face is angled perfectly to match their position, whether looking into a picture of sliding down a balustrade.It is probable that the album is connected to the Farquhar (or Townsend-Farquhar) family, of Berkeley Square, London. The initials "T.F." (alternatively "J.F.") are stamped in gold on the front cover. Leaf 26 names Gilbert Farquhar alongside the actor Arthur Cecil, in the play Millionaire (by G.W. Godfrey, shown at the court Theatre in 1883). Gilbert Edward Farquhar (1850-1920) was an actor in the London theater from about 1883 to 1906. He was the brother Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar (1841-1924). A portrait on leaf 34 is captioned "Ernest Farquhar Esq." His relationship to other prominent members of the family is unclear.
Contents:
[1] A woman seated at a desk, with portrait of herself -- [2] Portrait of a young girl -- [3] Nine portraits presented as miniatures within a larger frame -- [4] Three portraits above a drawing of a girl and boy in a boat, among reeds and swans -- [5] Street organist -- [6] Playing cards, dice, and chips, with advertisement for De La Rue & Co. (the latter bearing a portrait of a woman) -- [7] Scene on the front steps of a domestic dwelling, with four figures and a dog -- [8] Portrait of a young man, with drawings of butterflies -- [9] Three portraits of women, with drawing of swallows diving to catch bugs on the surface of a pond or stream -- [10] A huntsman stalking deer in an alpine scene -- [11] Portrait of a young woman, with drawing of lilly-of-the-valley -- [12] Hansom cab with three heads: a driver, a young girl (passenger), and a young boy (on the pavement) -- [13] Staves of notated music, with six small portraits in the place of notes -- [14] Portrait of a young man, surrounded by scenes of nature and travel -- [15] Portrait of a bearded man, with leafy border -- [16] Full-length studio portrait of a man, within a drawing of lavish domestic interior -- [17] Ice-skating, with photographs for eight of the figures depicted -- [18] Five independent portraits of children and adults, with leafy border to portrait at center -- [19] Portrait of a bearded man, encircled by seven drawings of horses and one kitten -- [20] Drawing of a man with knife, fighting a bear (without photograph) -- [21] Portrait of a young girl, within a frame of timbers (?) -- [22] Breakfast table scene (with three figures), with drawing to complete the domestic interior -- [23] An artist's studio, with ten portrait photographs as busts or sculptures (one of disembodied hands), with (at bottom) two dogs and man on horseback -- [24] Portrait of a bearded man in a fez, with drawing of algae -- [25] Portrait of an Englishman (?) with sword and a North African (?) man, before a drawn scene of Roman (?) ruins, and a camel.
Subject Terms:
Farquhar family. | Farquhar, Gilbert Edward, 1850–1920. | Farquhar, Ernest. | Cecil, Arthur, 1843–1896. | Theater -- England -- London | Clothing and dress -- Great Britain -- 19th century. | Domestic space -- Great Britain -- 19th century. | Cabinet photographs. | Dogs. | Cats.