A photograph by Thomas Protheroe after 1881

[Tony Rackstraw]

Would anyone recognize the gentleman shown in this portrait by the Bristol photographer Thomas Protheroe? A cabinet card dated after 1881.

[David Kastoryano]

Protheroe produced paintings for clients to order. When the painting was produced serves as an indicator to a likely date of a life changing event. A change of career, a different path in life, even death, these were the moments at which a painting or a statue might be commissioned. It is recorded the board presented Butler with this his retirement painting as he retired. Dating this mage was straightforward and it may be there is an accompanying photograph taken by Protheroe and used as his template for the painting.

Photographs and paintings and sometimes even all at the same time an etching or engraving were all used as the interchangeable tokens of memory of personal events or places visited. They were the record, they became the memory.

The series showing George Mueller, the Prussian religious minister, is one such record. Mueller the evangelist and founder of children’s orphan homes on Ashley Down in Bristol spent his entire life in religious ministry and charitable works. His last regular preaching ( held on Sunday evenings) were abandoned in September 1897 due to a "failing or weakness of the heart". He continued to attend prayer meetings but did not preach due to this infirmity. This one life event is the strongest indicator of date extracted from the imagery.

Seen in the painting - described in various places as "last century - old man with walking stick" the walking stick is perhaps a most obvious place to start. It is indicative of health. Here is a man who needs a stick to walk. Likewise the dating of both the photograph and the painting, but not the engraving, can be confirmed from evidence presented..

It is the case Protheroe produced photographic images and paintings - within a short time but not at the same time, sometimes he would even colourfully enamel over the taken photograph and mount it in a hinged presentation box made of wood as a souvenir. The effect in all events is the same. The Victorians embraced photography and art and used both to create their own personal narrative on life, in Protheroe a sitter had found an artist and a photographer who fulfilled both functions admirably.

In the photograph the evidence employed to celebrate Mueller's ministerial life is a prayer book or psalmist and his clothes. The clothes in the painting are not identical to the photograph and it is here the moment of importance lies. It is the clothes Muller selected fro the two images that determines Mueller’s disposition and command. The photograph shows Mueller in pastoral garb, the engraving likewise, perhaps the engraving was used to illustrate in print the man and his work. The photograph presents a man in pastoral garb but the painting shows a man dressed in ordinary garments of the period. A jacket, a knitted under jacket required for a chilly September day, a shirt and tie.

These painted clothes dictate no obvious role other than no role. The clothes are not an active part of the representation as in the photograph and it is here the painting through comparison with the photographic record tells us of Mueller’s new path in life. Here Mueller and Protheroe, together inform the viewer of his retirement from his life's work and calling. As to whether or not this was intentional is difficult to say.

There are moments such as these which contain an historic chronology yet this might never have been the original intention at the outset. Protheroes work seems to me to be consistent with the idea of historic continuity and on balance it appears the intention was always to construct a narrative in obedience of the facts.

These are the facts of the imagery but now it is time to review the content, the artistic and spiritual as he was after all a man of the cloth. In the paining Mueller sits with a slightly down cast look. His eyes are focussed as though engaged in some day dream, slightly disconnected, looking back and reflecting. It is notable in both Protheroes painting and photograph Mueller does not address the observer. In both images he looks away but only in the painting does Mueller offer the added emotion of reflection in contrast to advancement. In the painting Mueller appears as a man seated holding his walking stick and patiently waiting.

Mueller was a European Lutheran evangelists. Such was his belief in Providence he never insured any building anywhere and by the time of his death he has a ministerial portfolio of properties for three quarter of a million abandoned and orphaned children across the globe in ten countries. He was also a firm believer the turn of the century would herald the second coming of Christ. Then this at that time, for some, a fervently held belief. The turning of the years, the renewal of the century would bring about a renewal of mankind.

Protheroe interpreted Mueller and painted a picture of a man stoically waiting, as Mueller’s works dictated.

A note on Protheroes style. Shown earlier - the painting of the seated Bulter - when geometrically compared is an exact and most precise proportional representation in oil of the photographic image. The one is a complete copy in terms of structure and quantity of the other - artistic decoration aside. So it is in this series of images in all three mediums but here only the proportional representation is maintained in the size, volume and facial features of the head.

The use of photographs engravings, sketches, sculptor and oils on canvass were all employed in different ways fit for different purposes. They were interchangeable and used freely. This is a sketch engraving of a photograph, of a model of The Colston Statue, as it was commissioned in 1894. The sketch maker is unknown to me, the sculptor renowned, and the photograph (of the model) on which the sketch here seen was based was taken by Protheroe

[David Kastoryano]

This is the obverse of the CDV and it reveals two markers of interest which could help date the photograph. The first is the royal coat of arms. This is the coat of arms of the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward and it is not a Royal Warrant. There was a widespread proliferation and passing off of royal insignia, regal motifs and courtly patronage of one sort or another by trades people in order to impress prospective customers. If it's good enough for Him it's good enough for you, might sum it up. Used as it was, it is an indicator of no meaning in so far as dating the image.

The silver medal awarded to Protheroe is described as follows - Art and Industrial Exhibition medal by J. Moore - a trefoil showing three men engaged in labours of art and industry 51mm.* *Extracted words and images from https://earlyphotographers.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_15.html - showing this exact image and photograph. Of limited help with dating the image as this award was widely touted on CDVs and portraiture of all manner from June 1881. Below an example of use in 1886: Portraits of this genre was usually commissioned at times of celebration or appointment. They were used to importantise ( a modern use) the owner. And they worked so very well. Boardrooms up and down the country are still to this day stuffed full of severe looking types bearing down reminding us of their work, their grandiose achievements and their status in this world. Returning to the artist's signature it is again is of limited use. The form Protheroe took often included the date of completion but the reading of the signature sometimes misappropriated the work to an unknown. Here is just such an example. It is by T. Protheroe but the catalogue entry reads " J PROTHEROE JEROME oil on canvass". The Jerome refers to St. Jerome. The signature T is rather ornate, heavy in script and Germanicised but is typical of stylised authoritarian handwriting of the time. It is notable this font branding was also reproduced in all forms and on all literature. This one letter T (with some small variation) often becomes D as opposed to J. A modern example of the D version comes to mind seen on the certificate of birth of Donald Trump. A lack of resources prevents me from citing further but a copy is available online. The name was hand written by a nurse issued by the hospital in1946 and is not to be confused with his birth certificate issued by the state. Trumps family originated in Germany. Somehow the D version kinda looks right to my eyes .

 

[David Kastoryano]

There was one exception to the living and the dead Protheroes (mentioned in an earlier post) and the continuance of the trading style. It is a living familial Protheroe who traded as a photographic Protheroe in Bristol. In the interests of completeness he should be entered into the trading style account.

The following is a list extracted from Annual Trade Directories - British Photographers UK  - 1852 - 1972:

Directory entries - Bristol Photographers

Extracted from Annual Trade Directories:
Protheroe, Thomas

1876 33 Wine Street
1878 36 Wine Street
1890 36 Wine Street and 37 Whiteladies Road

There are no further entries except a blank space for the year 1900. The active dates for Thomas Protheroe, photographic artist, are entered as 1875 -1897.

In January 1897 it was advertised that Protheroe's son Lewis R. Protheroe was to partner with his father in the firm. This is the only time the name Protheroe might be attributed to another family member as a trading partner, however it was to be a very, very short lived association. For a while the firm was known in Bristol as 'Messrs. Protheroe & Son' and their output was scarce. So scarce I am unable to find any CDVs or studio portraiture bearing this mark.

This association came to an end within the year as improvements were made to the Wine Street. The impending works and removal were published as shown below. The entry was  listed under the heading Fine Art :
By November 1897 Wine Street had been widened which led to the removal of several established old businesses one of which was the photographic premises of Protheroes. It is indicated elsewhere the shop was entered as in the name of Mr. Frank Protheroe. The business side was now solely in the hands of Lewis, of that there is no doubt and it was Lewis who took on the new premises at No3 Narrow Wine Street.

He fitted out the premises with electric light and "the very latest scientific developments" and it was said "photography is now possible in all sorts of weather and by night equally as well as by day". By the year’s end -1897, the business appears no more. Its' demise brought about by trading in adverse conditions combined with 30yds of removal. These and perhaps other personal reasons were sufficient to close the studios for good. The use of the name Protheroe as a photographic studio in Bristol under Lewis's direction lasted less than one calendar year.

In conclusion it can be seen, one blank space excepting, the dead stay dead and the style under investigation 'Protheroe - Bristol' is to be seen as an unattached entity (as already proposed) and is to remain as described a completely seperate trading style unconnected to any way to familial members of the Protheroe family.

[David Kastoryano]

Searching for evidence of Thomas Protheroe's photographic work I ended at the National Portrait Gallery where I found just one entry. The entry is listed above as the image marked with a yellow star and circle. This is listed as a bromide print - which it appears to be, a postcard - which it isn't, taken by Thomas Protheroe - which it wasn't and finally as a picture of George Henry Elliot - which it reassuringly is. On balance the NPG proposes a collection of ideas about the image, the object and the man that could be improved. The most standout of these is the acknowledgement and credit to Thomas Protheroe.

Thomas died on the 23rd of June 1901 so how he can be credited in this way, photographing and printing this stage handout publicity card, having been dead 9 years or more.This evidence of lively longevity after the event must now be in doubt. Perhaps appearing in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery endows members with beyond magical perhaps even spiritual properties. I have no idea.

I found other examples of photographic work credited to 'Protheroe - Bristol' and all of it uncomfortably postdates the death of Thomas Protheroe. All the imagery is stage publicity and here shown alongside are the other images Protheroe is credited with. At first I considered it must be the work of a son, a cousin, a nephew, a niece, somehow posthumously carrying on the trade in the founders name. On examination of close family members I was unable to find any then living relative so inclined either by trade or calling. Then the local 'The Bath Chronicle' offered a clue. In 1918 this was printed: Mr Burchill is elsewhere listed as an associate at Protheroes at a time when Thomas was alive. It seems Burchill carried on the trade but only spasmodically and with very limited success at the local theatre and at one or two other theatres in the country and at all times trading off the name 'Protheroe - Bristol'. So no Lazarus moment for Thomas and no popping up in the afterlife camera in hand ready to pounce on stage stars immortalising their every precious gesture.

At least now there's only one Protheroe in the frame and 'God Light' or no so long as he stays dead there should be more to post on this in due course.

[David Kastoryano]

Relighting the image to a state close to as the photographer intended and removing discolorations shows an image more closely resembling the photographers original interpretation. I call this type of lighting effect (lit from above) 'ecclesiastic' and it was popular with Artist Photographers. Thomas Protheroe always considered art before photography yet in his advertising he had to reverse the order to put bread on the table. Thomas Protheroe was an accomplished oils-on-canvass type painter as back then this was the only easily understood artistic medium for important people.

His personal style was hinted at in the census return of 1891:

The list is as follows: Portrait Painter Sculptor (added in pencil later) & Photographer

Thomas has reeled off to the enumerator his personal order of preference and then considered his work as sculptor artist. On this reconsideration he thought to add to the list. It is likely he himself wrote the addition in pencil. The addition Thomas made to an official document is rare to see. It can be seen to be the work of another hand by simple comparison. So in handwriting not similar to what had gone before, is added the word 'Sculp'.

Scribbled in pencil and not written in ink this one partial word suggests the artist had at least one serviceable pencil to hand. Not altogether unusal for an artist.