Vintage Prints:  The Artists And History

Early 20th century prints are called vintage. Coming straight from developing of film, vintage prints are reflections of the popular old. Many artists of the time became popular as technology became accessible to people. There are experimental photographers, women photographers and documentary photographers who did their craft during the old times.  Artists of this time were given freedoms with their art. Their choice of subject, framing and goals vary according to their experiences of the time. Intuition is very important to them as artists. Moments can only happen in glimpses, scenes might be gone in a second.

Experimental Photographers: These are people who produced innovative styles and techniques in their vintage prints.  Artists such as Joan Fontcuberta, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, Daido Moriyama, Eadweard Muybridge, and Joel-Peter Witkin are included on this list.

Women Photographers:  Art is often regarded as exclusively for men, but during their time in the 29th century, there was a point when women artists were considered for their greatness in the art of vintage prints.  Artists on this list include Nan Goldin, Lisette Model, Julia Margaret Cameron, Graciela Iturbide and Dorothea Lange.

Documentary Photographers: They depict the struggles and smiles of the period. Their vantage point frames specific moments of their time. They show reality, life in motion stilled on the lenses of their cameras. Lewis Hine, Aaron Siskind, Jacob Riis, Eugene Atget, and Lisette Model are some of the artists included in this group.

These prints, as products of the technology of photography are indeed a manifestation of the popular culture of the time. The artists mentioned above are just some of the people who engaged in this craft and artistry. Styles vary according to the artistry of the person, subjects and framing too.

With the spread of mass production, some vintage artists were not recognized. Some stood on a pedestal, but few hid behind their view finder. Other artists of the period doing vintage prints were Alger “Texas” Alexander, Rex Allen, George Barnes, Will Barnes, Buster Brown, Gatemouth Brown, The Champs, Gene Chandler, Bruce Channel, The Charades, Lou Christie and Dee Clark. Much has been mentioned, but some artistry was left in the past. Since the technique became part of the popular culture, there was also a mass production of artists.
With the speed this art takes, many were inclined to participate in the bandwagon.

There is definitely a great artistry in this image production but the problem emerges with the mass production of process and engagement of many artists. In a way, this is good history but then again as we recall many artists have not been mentioned in art books.

Artists are proofs of the humanity of this past. If not duly recognized, there lies a problem of defining the true essence of this art. Vintage prints are not enough proofs of a past, there should be an artist duly responsible for his work ,  other artists like Patsy Cline, The Club Royal Orchestra, Nat King Cole, Albert Collins, Bing CrosbyWillie Dixon, Johnny Dollar, Fats Domino, Ral Donner maybe mentioned but what about the others? These are holes in the past of an artistry that had a great influence during the earlier times.