I need you to make relive these magnificent negatives fallen into oblivion during so numerous years! "Si charmantes" is a project to share an invaluable French photographic heritage.
So charming!
There are 2 manners to look at the objects of past: you think that they are tacky or you have a
flashback and you understand the role which they played in the history! I am designer and artist, fascinated by the works of art which crossed the time. I frequented numerous secondhand trades
and antique dealers' shops, in France and in Europe. And in 2013, i had the incredible luck to discover photographice negatives dating the Parisian Belle Epoque! An expert confirmed to me that
the glass plates were the ones of Jean Agélou, famous french photographer of the period 1905-1921. He was specialized in the photographs of charm. These pictures are old but so charming
again!
The project
FROM THE NEGATIVE TO THE EDITION
The project "so charming" offers photographic enlargements in black and white. They will be realized with the Jean Agélou's genuine negatives. His plates offers an exceptional quality of picture and the possibility to obtain
large formats. The reproductions from the paper prints of this period do not allow it. All the details which are on the gelatin will be on the final picture. The edition will be numbered and
limited. The purpose of the project is to share this photographic treasure and to propose in art gallery the prints presented in their box.
THE RESTORATION
Negatives, 100 years old, are in a very good state of preservation but they are fragile and have many scratches. So, a considerable work of restoration (already begun) is necessary to find their freshness of origin. The project will allow to rediscover these pictures in unpublished sizes, in 1910 they were printed in the postcard size. The first prints realized are magnificent! The pictures are very detailed. It is possible to obtain a size 70 x 100 cms. The 2 better photographic processes will be proposed: either on some real barytes argentic paper, or in matt Fineart.
THE PRINTS
Because the black and the white is very important in this project, teh 2 better processes to
obtain the most delicate nuances will be proposed. The prints will be realized on real baryté argentic paper, or in matt Fineart. Several formats will be proposed.
A TOUCH OF COLOR
Besides the print on simple paper, the project suggests rediscovering these magnificent images of charm with a contemporary look. In this limited and numeroted version, your print will be stuck on an aluminium plate. On the print a colored acrylic glass frame will be fixed (red, blue, yellow or majenta). The transparency lets see the image, the color warms the black and the white. Every element, aluminium plate, acrylic frame, mini threads, is drawn and created for the project. The print with the colored frame will exist from the format A3. The prototypes realized appear on photos to the left.
A NICE BOX
Until 1930, negatives on virgin glass plates were packed in cardboard boxes. There was a label on the lid showing the technical information, the mark, and so on. Since the photographs proposed here for the project come from the original negatives, the limited print whith the colored frame will be presented in a nice box. On the lid there will be a label printed in letterpress. The box will contain the chosen print, the certificate of authenticity, a booklet or leaflet presenting the project as well as an authentic negative on glass plate (various theme, landscape, portrait, etc ...)
THE SET OF 12 POSTCARDS
In the Belle Époque, these erotic pictures circulated discreetly in Paris because the police watched! They were bought on a unit basis, but they were also available in packages of 12. Also, the project want the edition of a pretty pocket containing 12 printed cards, corresponding to the 12 restored pictures. The printing will be qualitative with a softtouch varnish, on a paper 250gr. The format will be identical to that of postcards of the Belle Époque, 9 X 13,5 cm.
