[Man sitting on a pool table]

1880s–1890s

Medium

Gelatin silver printing-out paper print with brown ink and wash

Dimensions

30.6 × 37.6 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-623821

Using pen, ink, wash (watered-down ink applied with a brush), and photographs, the anonymous Victorian artist of this collage created a sumptuously decorated billiard room complete with floral wallpaper, an elaborately designed rug, and hardwood floors. She expertly cut out the male figure from a larger photograph and integrated him into her scene. Victorian collagists did not concern themselves with ensuring that the photographs seamlessly blended into their drawn settings. By placing the images in new contexts, they unapologetically undermined photography’s reputation for being truthful. They often transformed photographs into other forms of art. In this case, a second portrait of a younger man becomes a painting leaning upon the mantle. A photo album—much like the album in which this collage is found—sits atop the cushioned stool in the foreground. Albums served as conversation pieces—another tool in the hostess’s arsenal for entertainment. Carolyn Peter, J. Paul Getty Museum, Department of Photographs 2021 For more information about this album see the extended essay.