Keep also in mind that eg. Niepche, who produced the first photographic image, was a graphics artist. His research in light sensitive chemicals basically began with a wish to find a more practical etching method for his graphical plates.
Reproduceable art was already present in many forms when photography was invented. However, photography was touted in the early days as an objective way of documenting real life. The old phrase that "photos don't lie". That phrase alone must have degraded people's regard for photography as a form of art. But I guess with the advent of such fine equipment as could be delivered from the Asahi optical co., it all changed for the better... (on topic alibi...:-)) Jostein ----- Original Message ----- From: "frank theriault" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 12:27 AM Subject: Re: OT: Philosophy of the Image > Hi, Steve, > > On the contrary, photography freed visual artists from painting only > representational images, opening the doors to impressionism, abstract, > surrealism, and everything that flowed from those. > > And, on the subject of reproductions, prior to photography, there were > woodcuts, which could mass produce images. > > regards, > frank > > Steve Desjardins wrote: > > > How about this for a for a better title for the "Texas Medium Format > > Massacre" thread? > > > > Actually, I think film photography was what began the devaluation of > > the visual arts. Before photos, a painting was a unique object, > > difficult to reproduce. Although no two prints are exactly the same, > > good copies can be made and even the negative can be copied. No one > > objects to getting a copy of a photograph, and the "original" print only > > has extra value to a collector. The digital image just carries this > > reproducibility one more step. > > > > Steven Desjardins > > Department of Chemistry > > Washington and Lee University > > Lexington, VA 24450 > > (540) 458-8873 > > FAX: (540) 458-8878 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- > "The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist > fears it is true." -J. Robert > Oppenheimer > > >
