An Evocative Early 20thC Framed & Glazed Montage of Five Sepia Photographs of a Young Boy
SOLD
The early twentieth century oak framed and glazed montage of five sepia photographs depicting a young boy in various poses, some with a toy bulldog, and verso having labels for Stewart & Co Picture frame maker and artists' colormen 55 Baker Street, and 25 high Street, Manchester Square, W, London.
The photographs are presented in good overall condition, with some gentle fade commensurate with age. The mount in the frame does suffer from some spotting as shown but we think this serves well in a decorative sense, giving the piece some real signs of its vintage.
The subject, dressed in period clothes including a flat cap, long socks and shorts, is shown sitting, standing and posing amongst a white curved bench and box mocking a chimney, with his toy bulldog of the period. The montage has a nice balanced feel in terms of the composition and arrangement of the photographs.
The young boy who was photographed was obviously of good stock to be photographed at such an establishment as sittings would have been charged at around a guinea. This entitled the sitter to, for example, 18 cartes-de-visite (visiting card size) or six of the larger 'cabinet portrait' photographs. This was twice the sum for the best theatre seats and was deemed by many followers of fashion as 'an amusement a la mode.'
Hauntingly beautiful photography for the bewitched interior.