Replies

  • Hi all,

    I realise that this discussion started 2 years ago, but I'm hoping I might reawaken people's interest in the subject!

    I'm embarking on a paper researching the cultural and social history of wedding photography, and trying to establish whether wedding photography could be described as a genre in itself or simply a mix of portrait, street and documentary photography. I've read all the comments related to this discussion, some of which are very helpful. Any ideas or pointers would be very gratefully received.

    Thanks, Cate

  • Hi James

    Of course, I see now that Mark has completed his research regarding Silvy and wedding photography, but this is an interesting wedding photograph that you have just found. It's a beautiful image and, from a fashion history point of view, 1850 looks absolutely fine; in particular the hairstyle and bodice give the date away. Assuming this a genuine wedding photograph (not, for example, an actress in a role), your find suggests that the 1854 Boston photograph that some of us have come across may not be the earliest depiction of a bride wearing white bridal wear.

    The fashion for white (actually ivory or cream) bridal wear gradually developed over many years (especially from the late-18th century) and this vogue escalated following Queen Victoria's wedding and those of her children: a frothy white bridal gown, flowers and bridesmaids now became the ideal to which all brides aspired, but in the 19th century only the wealthy could afford a 'white' wedding and all the trappings associated with it. It didn't become the norm throughout society until the early-20th century. Because many Victorian brides simply wore 'best' fashionable coloured day wear - which could be worn again - a great many early wedding photographs surviving in collections today go unnoticed. 

    Jayne

     

     

    James Morley said:

    Just stumbled across this image from the GEH collection on Flickr Commons and thought I'd add it to the discussion.  It is down as c.1850 - interested to hear what people think of that.

     

    Unidentified Bride
  • Hi Mark

    I'm a professional dress historian/portrait dating specialist, ex-National Portrait Gallery Curatorial Assistant and now a freelance consultant working mainly in the family history arena. I have done quite a bit of research into wedding images and there is a whole chapter on the subject in my forthcoming book, 'How to Get the Most from Family Pictures', to be published in January 2011 by the Society of Genealogists.

    As far as I am aware, the earliest known photograph of a bride wearing a special white bridal dress is a daguerreotype taken in 1854 by a Boston photographer. The first known photograph to include bridesmaids is that depicting the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Vicky, to Crown Prince Frederick in 1858: I haven't found a reference to the format, but perhaps an ambrotype? 

    I have personally seen an example of individual, paired ambrotypes, showing bride and groom in separate photographs, dating from the mid-late 1850s. This was common practice and followed the earlier convention of paired marriage paintings. The first double wedding photograph that I've come across is an ambrotype dated April 1860. The wedding theme progressed rapidly after the introduction of the cdv: by the mid-1860s even ordinary working-class couples were recording their wedding day with a studio photograph. 

    I hope this helps.

    Jayne

  • Just stumbled across this image from the GEH collection on Flickr Commons and thought I'd add it to the discussion.  It is down as c.1850 - interested to hear what people think of that.

     

    Unidentified Bride
  • wjfarmer02.jpg

    Having just joined this site/group/forum, it is fortuitous that I found this discussion about early wedding photographs, as I have a CDV wedding portrait which I am currently researching. The portrait is one of a group of three which I believe were taken at the reception of a wedding in the English Midlands in February 1870. A series of articles presenting the images and my research are presented here.

    I'm keen to find out how far away the photographer and his equipment were from the subjects when the potrait was taken. I wonder if anyone with the expertise and knowledge of early (c.1870) photographic equipment might be able to tell from the image shown above?

    I would appreciate any comments or corrections to my deductions and conclusions in the series of articles, from members of this group.

    Regards and best wishes, Brett
  • Dear Colin

    Thank you - I'd forgotten, and it is interesting, of course!

    All best, Mark

    Colin Ford said:
    Mark ... Bit late in the day - both for my response, and the photograph! But I can't resist reminding you that the sainted Julia took a photograph of her prospective daughter-in-law in her wedding dress in November 1869 (JMC catalogue 193).
    Cheers ... Colin
  • Mark ... Bit late in the day - both for my response, and the photograph! But I can't resist reminding you that the sainted Julia took a photograph of her prospective daughter-in-law in her wedding dress in November 1869 (JMC catalogue 193).
    Cheers ... Colin
  • Dear Ken

    Thank you very much. I have completed my text on Silvy and am now exhausted! I'd love to see the daguerreotype when I've returned to normality and am once again in your part of the world.

    All best, Mark

    Ken Jacobson said:
    Mark,

    If you want to examine one of the Southworth & Hawes bridal portraits mentioned in this thread, we have one you can see. As suggested above, there are a number of them illustrated in the Romer & Wallis catalogue raisonné. Also, we've got an obscure American exhibition catalogue called "Wedding". It shows portraits from all eras including a stunning daguerreotype of a bride I have always coveted, which once belonged to a Boston collector. I've seen many 'brides' in stereo and carte de visite format. Dating them precisely is always tricky but I think a number of stereos would be reliably pre-1860.

    Best,

    Ken
  • Mark,

    If you want to examine one of the Southworth & Hawes bridal portraits mentioned in this thread, we have one you can see. As suggested above, there are a number of them illustrated in the Romer & Wallis catalogue raisonné. Also, we've got an obscure American exhibition catalogue called "Wedding". It shows portraits from all eras including a stunning daguerreotype of a bride I have always coveted, which once belonged to a Boston collector. I've seen many 'brides' in stereo and carte de visite format. Dating them precisely is always tricky but I think a number of stereos would be reliably pre-1860.

    Best,

    Ken
  • Dear John

    Many thanks - very interesting. Much appreciated.

    All best, Mark

    John Hannavy said:
    Hi Mark,

    Thought I'd add these two pictures, as they demonstrate my suggested link between ball gowns and wedding dresses, and the link between QV and white weddings. The first is obviously one of Fenton's royal portraits 1853/4, the other is a stereo card (I believe attributed to Silvester) and dated about 1856

    John

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