1856 THE ART-JOURNAL, n.s. vol. II

 

Ver:  Aug. 24, 2008

NOTES: 

 

TRANSCRIPTION CONVENTIONS:

--Italics have been retained from publications, which uses them for both titles as well as emphasis.  To more easily locate image titles, I have continued this italicization when titles have been rendered in all capitols or put in quotes, however italics have NOT been used when the general subject of an image is mentioned.

--Photographer’s (or potential photographer’s) names have been bolded – see also below under “Names”

--Brackets [ ] are used to indicate supplied comments by the transcriber;  parenthesis

(  )  are used in the original sources.  If the original source has used brackets, they have been transcribed as parenthesis to avoid confusion.

--Spelling and typos:  Nineteenth-century spellings occasionally differs from currently accepted norms.  In addition, British spellings also differ from American useage.  Common examples are:  “colour” vs. “color”; “centre” vs. “center” and the use of “s” for “z” as in “recognise” vs. “recognize.  While great care has been exercised in transcribing the 19th-century journals exactly as printed, “spell check” automatically corrects many of these differences.  An attempt has been made to recorrect these automatic changes, but no doubt some have slipped through.  As for typographical errors, these have been checked although no doubt some have managed to slip through the editorial process.  For matters of consequence, I will be happy to recheck the original sources if need be for specific references.

 -- Technical articles:  For the most part, articles discussing technical aspects of photography, products, etc. were not transcribed unless they are part of a larger article covering photographs.   When technical descriptions are too lengthy to include, that has been noted.  Exceptions have been made as the transcriber saw fit.    

  --Meetings of Societies:  Names of officers, members attending or referenced, dates and locations of meetings have been given.  The first and/or earliest meetings recorded have been transcribed in full.   Beyond those early years, only if the reports are very short or discuss photographs, have the articles been copied in full; if administrative or technical in nature.  Although not always possible due to time constraints on borrowed materials,  when possible, I have included at least the dates of  society meetings and any photographer’s names listed.

-- Related, contemporary journals:  e.g., The Art-Journal, cover both photographer as well as painting, drawing, sculpture, etc..  As they frequently refer to the production of both the photographer and the painter as “pictures” it is not always possible to tell when photography is indicated.  If there is doubt, these articles have been included and the names bolded, but the individuals may, in fact, not be photographers.

 

NAMES:

    --All photographer’s names have been bolded  for easy location.   EXCEPTIONS:  While it is likely that people working with photographic equipment and techniques are also photographers some discretion has been used and not all such names have been bolded.  Names of honorary members of a photographic society are assumed to be photographers and thus bolded, when in fact, that may not be the case.  Names mentioned in connection with meetings of  non-photographic societies have not been bolded unless there is a known or suspected photographic association.    A computer word search, however, will still enable the researcher to locate any references to specific names. 

  --Names:  Given abbreviations for titles such as “M” for “Monsieur”, etc., it is not always   possible to tell if an individual’s first name or title is being abbreviated.  Thus, especially with non-English photographers, too much credence should not be put into an initial that could also serve as an abbreviated title.

  --It is not always possible in lists of photographers to know when two separate photographers are partners or not, e.g., in a list, “Smith and Jones” sometimes alludes to two separate photographers and sometimes to one photographic company.  Both names will be highlighted and indexed but a partnership may be wrongly assumed.  Any information to the contrary would be appreciated.

 

NUMBERS:

--Numbers referenced in the various journals can refer to either the photographer’s image number, or an entry number in an exhibition catalog.   When the number is obviously is obviously that of the photographer, it is included in the index under the photographer’s name, whereas exhibition numbers are not.

 

1856:  ArtJ Oct. 1, vol. n.s. II, no #, p. 323:

            Minor Topics of the Month:

            The London Stereoscopic Company, whose valuable establishment in Cheapside we have heretofore brought under the notice of our readers, have recently issued a series of coloured photographic slides, representing several of the most effective groups in “The Winter’s Tale,” as placed upon the stage by Mr. Charles Kean.  The subjects are highly interesting; and by this process the most attractive points of the drama are preserved with admirable effect.  The groups were of course taken “from the lift.”  The principal persons of the play were posed for the purpose, and the result has been a new and very gratifying source of pleasure from the efforts of Mr. Kean at the Princess’s Theatre.  This important company has done much, and in the best possible way, to render the stereoscope a source of universal instruction and enjoyment.  All the works they issue are good; where any are defective they are rejected.  Confidence has thus been established; and from their enormously large store of views, figures, groups, and incidents, nearly every city and town of the kingdom now obtains a supply.