Absolutely stunning collection! Not just wonderful images of AMW but also a fabulous tour of the many dimensions of photography in her era. So many so modern!
The original Tattler caricature of Anna May by Autori was proudly displayed in her kitchen in her house on San Vincente Boulevard, Santa Monica. “Decorating the Wong Way” Better Homes and Gardens, October 1940.
I reviewed the blog again, and as someone who has worked professionally in photography I was struck by the details in the history behind the photographs displayed here. Cecil Beaton’s photographs of AMW have always been disappointing. IMO.
I went to the archives of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to look at a selection of original photos. He took some of the best [and many of the worst!] photos of Anna May.
The series of portraits of AMW in the feather wig, one of which is shown above, are striking.
The Van Vechten prints are uniformly “muddy”, and not professionally processed. We can hope that someday the Van Vechten Trust will allow new silver gelatin prints be made, or at least digitally scan the negatives. The prints will not last; they show evidence of improper processing, and haphazard washing.
Some of the best professional shots of AMW used the same techniques as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston used-pyrogallic acid [“pyro”] to develop the negatives and selenium toning for the prints.
“Pyro” results in negatives which retained the most detail in low density areas of the negative [shadows] without letting the high density areas lose detail. That leads to the kind of luxurious details that cannot be exceeded with today’s technology.
The selenium prints have a rich brownish purple hue, and slightly increase the density of shadow areas. They are likely to last as long as any paper print can.
So, exceptional work, Half-Caste Woman, properly exposed and developed, and with the depth of a good selenium print.
Very nice detailed coverage. Most thorough. Excellent photos. Book will be a keeper.
Thanks, Victor! And for your photo of Willy Pogany sketching AMW too!
MAN RAY! great collection of photos Katie. I do sort of love that first one with the lillies too.
Haha. My thought exactly. MAN RAY!
Absolutely stunning collection! Not just wonderful images of AMW but also a fabulous tour of the many dimensions of photography in her era. So many so modern!
The original Tattler caricature of Anna May by Autori was proudly displayed in her kitchen in her house on San Vincente Boulevard, Santa Monica. “Decorating the Wong Way” Better Homes and Gardens, October 1940.
oops! 1941, not 40. Clumsy thumbs.
I reviewed the blog again, and as someone who has worked professionally in photography I was struck by the details in the history behind the photographs displayed here. Cecil Beaton’s photographs of AMW have always been disappointing. IMO.
I went to the archives of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to look at a selection of original photos. He took some of the best [and many of the worst!] photos of Anna May.
The series of portraits of AMW in the feather wig, one of which is shown above, are striking.
The Van Vechten prints are uniformly “muddy”, and not professionally processed. We can hope that someday the Van Vechten Trust will allow new silver gelatin prints be made, or at least digitally scan the negatives. The prints will not last; they show evidence of improper processing, and haphazard washing.
Some of the best professional shots of AMW used the same techniques as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston used-pyrogallic acid [“pyro”] to develop the negatives and selenium toning for the prints.
“Pyro” results in negatives which retained the most detail in low density areas of the negative [shadows] without letting the high density areas lose detail. That leads to the kind of luxurious details that cannot be exceeded with today’s technology.
The selenium prints have a rich brownish purple hue, and slightly increase the density of shadow areas. They are likely to last as long as any paper print can.
So, exceptional work, Half-Caste Woman, properly exposed and developed, and with the depth of a good selenium print.
This is going well.