I came across this extraordinary photo on Tumblr. Why do people never smile in old photographs?
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Categories: Christianity, Homosexuality
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Blogging Theology 
And some splendid Victorian facial topiary!
From the same era, I recently visited the exhibition of Julia Margaret Cameron’s photographs at the V&A.
http://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/Julia-Margaret-Cameron.html
Interestingly, although she was a pioneer in the exploration of the possibilities of photo portraiture – there is no smiling. I suspect a factor behind non smiling in early photography was the long exposure time required.
I’m also reminded of one of my favourites in the National Gallery – the self portrait by Elisabeth Vige Le Brun. This, dating from 1782, was scandalous as she depicted herself smiling open mouthed.
The court gossip-sheet Mémoires secrets commented: “An affectation which artists, art-lovers and persons of taste have been united in condemning, and which finds no precedent among the Ancients, is that in smiling, [Madame Vigée-Lebrun] shows her teeth.”
I heard from a NG guide that a possible reason for the disapproval of toothy smiles was that the king’s teeth were in such a bad state that he didn’t smile and so neither did his courtiers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wouldn’t be smiling either. They’ve got to carry those heavy wooden chairs back inside up all those steps.
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of those chairs used to be in the Moderator’s Room in the assembly hall where I had some tutorials when I was at New College. It was rather ragged looking by that stage though!
LikeLike