Wrigglesworth and Binns
Bas-Relief Photography
Bas-Relief, Photography. —
Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns, the well known Artists of this city [Christchurch] and Wellington, are introducing the recently patented bas-relief process, to the notice of the public, and announce elsewhere that samples of this unique work will be on exhibition at their studio, Colombo _ street, on Saturday. As bas-relief portraiture produces a perfect picture in relief, no doubt a large number of the public will avail themselves of the opportunity of examining the new process. It may be added that Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns have purchased the patent rights for New Zealand (excepting the Wanganui district.)
Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9729, 18 May 1897, page 4
Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9730, 19 May 1897, page 1
A New Era in Photography
The Bas Relief
Great progress has been made in all departments of photography since the days of the wet plate collodion process, and one is therefore not easily surprised at the developments which from time to time are made. But there is no doubt those who see the display made to-day in the vestibule of Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binn's studio of the newest type of photography, the bas relief, will be astonished not only at the artistic beauty, but the life-like appearance of the pictures. The Bas Relief
The process is one which was discovered by Mr Martin, of Wanganui, and of which Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns hold he New Zealand rights, except for that town. At first sight the appearance of the pictures is somewhat startling from their remarkable life-like appearance. The form, instead of being as in the ordinary photograph merely — as it were — a reflection, is reproduced with all the natural curves and roundness of life. The face and form are filled out, giving to the whole a most startingly realistic appearance. This is done by the raising up of the bust or figure into relief, and the effect is most artistic and beautiful. For instance, in one of the pictures on exhibition the hair of the lady is so strikingly and naturally reproduced that it appears as though one could take hold of it. All the pictures are very finely done, and the process is not alone interesting from the point of view of close resemblance to life, but also as a novelty in photography.
The pictures are framed in diamond shaped frames and covered with a glass, and include busts and half and full lengths. The exhibition is well worth a visit, and there can be no doubt that the new process will create quite a revolution in the style of the photograph of the future.
Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9733, 22 May 1897, page 9
Bas-Relief Photography
The interest taken in the new process of photography, the patent-rights of which Messrs. Wrigglesworth & Binns have acquired for the whole of the colony except Wanganui, warrants a fuller description of the process than has been given. The merits of the examples of the work the public have had ample opportunity to observe. Messrs. Wrigglesworth & Binns' vestibule in Willis street, where the work is on view, has been daily and nightly crowded with the curious, and the opinion of the public has been in the highest degree commendatory. The likeness to life produced by an excellent photograph superimposed upon a moulded presentment of a person's features is indeed remarkable, and though the process is necessarily an expensive one, the work has caught the public fancy, and "bas-reliefs" are now being turned out by Messrs. Wrigglesworth & Binns as fast as possible.The process is decidedly an interesting one. An ordinary photograph is enlarged upon a special paper, several prints being taken at the time in order that the best may be chosen for the final picture. One of the prints is selected and pasted upon a block of wood, then the outline of the figure is traced on the wood, and the body of the photograph cut out with a fret-saw. After the edges of this frame of wood have been finished, to it is fitted another print, which has been mounted on a sheet of copper. The copper-plated photograph then shows through the hole which has been cut in the wooden frame, leaving the background covered. The prepared print is now placed in a press, which gives it its rough embossing. The remainder of the work is done by skilled hands. This consists in modelling the features, dress, and figure, with certain tools, the high lights being pressed out to their proper proportion with an infinite amount of care. When the work leaves the hands of the artist, it is mounted in the special frames required by the embossed character of the portraits. The beautiful results should be almost absolutely permanent.
The specimens of "bas-reliefs" in the vestibule include two beautiful portraits of the Countess of Glasgow, in both of which the modelling of the figure and arm gives a most naturalistic effect. A large portrait of a well-known Wellington young lady also shows the detail which can be got by the process. Two large portraits of Lord Glasgow, one of Mrs, Stewart (Lady Glasgow's cousin), and one of Miss Wrigglesworth, are most artistic specimens of "bas-reliefs."
Other portraits are those of the Premier, Sir Robert Stout, Captain Russell, [Sir William Russell], Hon. W. P. Reeves, the Minister for Railways [Sir Alfred Jerome Cadman], Mr. W. Haselden, S.M. [William Reeve Haselden], and Messrs. Wilson [Charles Wilson] and O'Regan [Patrick Joseph O'Regan], M.H.R.'s. The various portraits of ladies and children scattered about the vestibule are triumphs of the life-like.
Evening Post, Volume LIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1897, page 6
Bas-Relief Photography.
Great interest is being taken in the new process of photography, the patent rights of which Messrs Wrigglesworth & Binns have acquired for the whole of the colony except Wanganui. Th merits of th examples of the work the public have had ample opportunity to observe. Messrs Wrigglesworth & Binns' vestibule in Willis street, Wellington, where the work is now on view, has been daily and nightly crowded with the curious, and the opinion of the public (says the Post) has been in the highest degree commendatory. The likeness of life produced by an excellent photograph superimposed upon a moulded presentment of a person's features is indeed remarkable, and though the process is necessarily an expensive one, the work has caught the public fancy, and "bas-reliefs" are now being turned out by Messrs Wrigglesworth & Binns as fast as possible.
The process is decidedly an interesting one. An ordinary photograph is enlarged upon a special paper, several prints being taken at the time in order that the best may be chosen for the final picture. One of the prints is selected and pasted upon a block of wood, and the body of the photograph cut out with a fret-saw. After the edges of this frame of wood have been finished, to it is fitted another print, which has been mounted on a sheet of copper. The copperplated photograph then shows through the hole which has been cut in the wooden frame, leaving the back ground covered. The prepared print is now placed in a press, which gives it its rough embossing. The remainder of the work is done by skilled hands. This consists of modelling the features, dress, and figure, with certain tools, the high lights being pressed out to their proper proportion with an infinite amount of care.
When the work leaves the hands of the artist, it is mounted in the special frames required by the embossed character of the portraits. The beautiful results should be almost absolutely permanent.
Feilding Star, Volume 31, Issue 278, 31 May 1897, page 2
Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 284, 7 June 1897, page 3
this notice continued in the Feilding Star until 25 May 1898
Revolution in Photography.
It was almost coincident with the commencement of the Record Reign now being celebrated throughout the Empire that photography acquired for itself distinct recognition. From time to time during the course of the reign great strides have been made in photography until, in its highest development, it has now a firmly assured place as one of the branches of art; but it is questionable if there has been any more startling advance at any time than that represented in the bas-relief process, the credit of which belongs entirely to New Zealand.
The process was discovered and patented by Mr W. Martin, of Wanganui, who has, however, parted with his rights for the whole of the colony, excepting his own town, to Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns, of Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Mr Binns, of the latter firm, is at present in Dunedin for the purpose of introducing the bas-relief photography to this city, and a preliminary inspection of the specimens which be proposes to display to public view at the studio in the Octagon warrants one in predicting that they will create something like a sensation.
The first notion that will occur to an average individual on seeing a bas-relief portrait will probably be that an exceedingly clever illusion is being practised by the operator. That would be a mistaken notion but even if it were not, it would be impossible for the person holding it to refrain from admitting that a remarkable and life-like effect had been secured. As a matter of fact, the process whereby bas-relief photography is produced - process which it is unnecessary to describe further than to say that it consists in superimposing a portrait upon a moulded presentiment of the subject's features - is one that is of unusual delicacy and that requires the exercise of considerable skill on the part of the operators. Bas-relief in photography correspond to cameos in stone, the face and form of the person photographed being filled out so as to give a realistic appearance such as has not been attainable by any other process. Some remarkable effects are visible in the specimens which will be on exhibition next week. The folds of clothing, the tiny wrinkles even in a baby's sock, stand out from a picture in a way that almost cause one to rub one's eyes and wonder how such things can be, while a pearl necklace is represented so faithfully that one can see the gems actually studded upon the wearer's neck.
The modelling of the subjects' features is in each of the examples Mr Binns has with him worthy of high praise, even to the representation of the hair, which is in some cases singularly natural. It is, of course, by seeing the portraits of persons with whom one is well acquainted that one is able to judge of the merits of the process, and Messrs. Wrigglesworth and Binns have applied the new system to some old negatives of well-known public persons with results that speak for themselves. Portraits of the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, Messrs H. S Fish [Henry Smith Fish], E. G. Wright [Edward George Wright], and J. C. Wason [John Cathcart Wason], M.H.R.'s, Mr James Mills [Managing Director Union Steam Ship Company], and some ladies well known in Dunedin society have been so treated, and an inspection of these will almost certainly convince visitors to the studio that the process is one that has "come to stay."
Otago Witness, Issue 2261, 1 July 1897, page 12
