How Victorian women used photocollage to subvert the seriousness of early photography
In short: Long before the twentieth-century avant-garde embraced collage, aristocratic Victorian women were already experimenting with the medium. This video explores their whimsical, fantastical compositions that blended photography with watercolor to create surreal and witty imagery.
During the 1860s and 1870s, educated women used photocollage to create images that challenged the rigid conventions of early photography. These works often featured dramatic shifts in scale, reminiscent of the surreal elements found in Alice in Wonderland.
The compositions were remarkably inventive, frequently morphing human faces into household objects or merging human heads with animal bodies. These playful works, often intended for personal albums, demonstrate both the creative skill and the sharp wit of their creators.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Society Cut-ups: Victorians and the Art of Photocollage
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