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Marcus
A. Root August
1855 For
the Photographic and Fine Art
Journal. A_
T R I P
__T
O
_B
O S T O N. -- B O S T O
N
_A
R T I S T S. occupy
a higher place of intelligence, energy
and personal reputation, than
those of any other city in the United
States. Already they have done,
and they are now doing much for the
elevation of Heliography and
its
professors, in the public esteem. Even
the "twenty-five," "fifty cents,"
and "one dollar" operators are more
skilful, and produce better results
than many of the "first class"
elsewhere. But
the profession, even here, is degraded
by some of the same class,
who have wrought so much mischief in
other sections of our country.
To such narrow-minded "Rats" in the
vocation, (to borrow an epithet
from the printers,) we say,
"Shame--shame,"--for thus debasing
in
the public estimation an Art at once so
beautiful and so rich in valuable
uses! One
of the oldest practitioners in the
United States, and probably the
very oldest in Boston, is Albert
Southworth, now, and for several
years
past of the firm of Southworth &
Hawes, Tremont Row. To their
honor
be it said, they have never lowered the
dignity of their Art or their
profession by reducing their prices,
but their fixed aim and undeviating
rule has been to produce the finest
specimens, of which they
were capable,--the finest in every
respect, artistic, mechanical,
and
chemical; graceful, pleasing in posture
and arrangement, and exact in
portraiture. Their style, indeed, is
peculiar to themselves; presenting
beautiful effects of light and shade,
and giving depth and roundness
together with a wonderful softness or
mellowness. These traits
have achieved for them a high
reputation with all true artists
and
connoisseurs. Their
plates, too, have an exquisitely pure,
fine, level surface, being
resilvered and polished on their
"patent swinging plate vice;"
and
are entirely free from waves, bends and
dents,--in short, as nearly perfect,
as is perhaps possible. And yet,
strange to say, their pictures
seem to me to be fully appreciated
neither by the majority of Heliographers
nor by the public. This
firm have devoted their time chiefly to
daguerreotypes, and have
paid but little attention to
photography on paper. I
noticed, however, in their Gallery, a
photographic copy of Gilbert
Stuart's
original portrait of Washington, full
size, and decidedly the best
photographic copy of that celebrated
portrait I have ever seen. Saving
the color, it is as perfect as one
could wish. They
have also invented and patented a
beautiful instrument, by which
24 or 48, or even more (stereoscopic)
pictures--taken either upon plate,
or paper, or glass,--are exhibited
stereoscopically; and so perfect
is the illusion, as to impress the
beholder with the belief, that
the picture is nature
itself! Mr.
Southworth explained the wonders of the
stereoscope very clearly,
and he takes his pictures of this class
without distortion or exaggeration.
I think his principle correct, for his
specimens were stereoscopically
beautiful, and exempt from the many
faults witnessed in
those of others. I hope his theory,
with instructions for its use,
may
be published.
The
Boston Daguerreotypists and
Photographers, as a body, probably
Research
and Transcription Courtesy Gary W.
Ewer
