Object Description
This is a charming antique Victorian crystoleum print on concave glass, circa 1890 in date.
It depicts a young lady dressed in Georgian period costume sitting on a window ledge of a large country house feeding birds.
The picture is framed in a beautiful gilded frame with beading.
Condition:
In excellent condition. As antique items, the pieces show signs of use commensurate with age, these minor condition issues with the frame which are mentioned for accuracy and, as seen in the accompanying photographs it displays well.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 29 x Width 23 x Depth 2 – Frame
Height 24 x Width 18 – Picture
Dimensions in inches:
Height 11.4 x Width 9.1 x Depth 0.8 – Frame
Height 9.4 x Width 7.1 – Picture
The crystoleum from “crystal” + “oleum” (oil), the process was a method of applying colour to an albumen print, popular from c.1880 to c.1910.
An albumen print was pasted face down to the inside of a concave piece of glass. Once the adhesive (usually starch paste or gelatin) was dry, the paper backing of the print was rubbed away, leaving only the transparent emulsion on the glass.
The image was then coloured by hand, using oil paints. Another piece of glass was added to the back and this could also be coloured by hand. Both pieces of glass were bound together creating a detailed, albeit fragile, image. The process was derived from the 18th century mezzotint process.
Our reference: 09372e