Oscar Gustave Rejlander

Title: Hard Times

Artist: Oscar Gustave Rejlander

Medium: albumen print 13.3 x 19.6 cm.

Year: 1860



Give a brief description of the movement, photographer, or term you researched. How are they significant to the history of photography (50-75 words)?



Rejlander undertook many experiments to perfect his photography, including combination printing from around 1853, which it is possible he may have invented. He moved his studio to Malden Road, London around 1862 and further experimented with double exposure, photomontage, and photographic manipulation and retouching. He became a leading expert in photographic techniques, lecturing and publishing widely, and sold portfolios of work through bookshops and art dealers. He also found subject-matter in London, photographing homeless London street children to produce popular 'social-protest' pictures such as "Poor Joe" and "Homeless". His Charlotte Baker series remains notorious along with his best-known allegorical work, The Two Ways of Life. Rejlander's ideas and techniques were taken up by other photographers and this, to some extent, justifies labeling him as the father of art photography.



Write a short personal reaction to the movement, photographer or term you researched. What is interesting or not interesting about the work (50 – 75 words).



A number of his pictures were bought by Prince Albert. However, Rejlander remained in poverty. In 1859 he wrote: "I am tired of photography-for-the-public, particularly composite photographs, for there can be no gain and there is no honour, only cavil and misrepresentation." He eventually returned to painting, but to little gain, and died in poverty. After reading this about Oscar I have the most upmost respect for the man. He wasn't into photography for the publicity but more for the meaning of the photos he took.



Name (please only include if it is ok to publish on blog): Rachel Desalegne