PASSAFIUME, TANIA. A SILVER GELATIN DOP SAMPLE BOOK AND A CHARACTERISTIC CATALOGUE OF THE EDWARD WESTON COLLECTION AT GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE

Abstract

With the maturation of the fine art photographic market, questions are asked about characteristic aspects of individual prints. Currently, judgments involving consistency in paper type, mounting method, inscription placement, stamping style, etc., within a photographer's work, are made upon fragmentary or anecdotal evidence. Without comprehensive examination and documentation of a particular photographer's oeuvre, judgments cannot be reasonably made by either the conservator or the curator/collector. 

This research project consists of creating a sample book of gelatin developing-out papers to facilitate the characterizing of paper types. This will help establish a standardized methodology for viewing a multitude of photographs. A characterizing catalogue was organized using a "profiler" along with the sample book to record significant photographic characteristics of the Edward Weston Collection at the George Eastman House. This comprehensive examination and documentation of the Edward Weston Collection was presented in a database format.

Tania Passafiume was an ARP fellow from 1999 to 2001. This work was her capstone research project. Tania is currently the conservator of photographic records at Library and Archives Canada in Gatineau, Quebec.

Tania was interested in helping to create a language to describe photographic surface characteristics along with a universal reference guide. The reference was influenced by the work of Cunning and Perkinson in 1996. The sample book, produced from contemporary silver-gelatin developing-out papers unfortunately had a very short production cycle as these photographic papers disappeared off the market.

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