Wet-plate made sittings easier for 1868 V.I.P.s

Press, 31 January 1986, Page 18

Wet-plate made sittings easier for 1868 V.I.P.s

“Wet-Plate” photography, only eight years old in 1863, was a new and exciting technique. The prints obtained by this method had a clarity and depth seldom matched by any subequent process, and their fine quality is proved by the large numbers of "albumen” prints which have survived — several thousand in the Canterbury Museum alone — in better condition than many of those dating from later periods.

In September, 1863, Edmund Wheeler arrived from England with his wife and two children. He was one of our first professional portrait photographers, whose studio and shop were in Colombo Street, west side, between Hereford and Cashel Streets. He was later joined by his son, Edward, the business becoming well-known as E. Wheeler & Son.

The slow wet-plate process caused frustrations for group photography. One exposure could last several seconds — fine for any subject which stayed still, but when several people were tc be taken together, someone was always sure to move and spoil the picture.

This would perhaps not matter so much for a family group, but for a gathering of very important

public figures such as members of the Provincial Government, it was just not good enough. A solution to this problem was found in the “montage,” which had the added advantage of not requiring everyone to be present at the same time. Individual portraits were made, cut out, and arranged artistically on a background, often elaborately illuminated and inscribed. The finished montage was then re-photo-graphed, producing the final negative.

On June 10, 1868, Mr William Wilson, a nursery and seedsman (nicknamed “Cabbage” it is said, for his habit of wearing a hat made of cabbage-tree leaves), was elected first Mayor of Christchurch.

“After the transaction of business yesterday,” reports the newspaper of June 11, 1868, “the Mayor of Christchurch and Councillors proceeded to Mr Wheeler’s photographic studio, Colombo Street, and had their portraits taken. They were accompained by the Borough Clerk (Mr Gordon), and the surveyor (Mr Cuff).”

The resulting montage, along with many others, is in the Museum’s collection.

By

JOAN WOODWARD