William Mortensen: Monsters and Madonnas

   

Photos by William Mortensen

Several months ago I ran across this book at The Purple Heart thrift store and just had to buy it.  Years ago I worked in photography and was intrigued by this old book. I have since learned there is renewed interest in the life and work of artist and photographer William Mortensen.  Yes, the cover of this book was in bad condition but the pages were all intact.  I paid only a dollar for it but on Amazon found used copies currently going for $59.99.


My treasured one dollar book.



William Mortensen, (1897-1965), after serving with the US Infantry from 1918 to 1919, studied illustration at the Art Students League in New York City.  He is primarily known for his Hollywood portraits in the 1920s-1940s in the pictorialist style.  He preferred the pictorialism style of manipulating photographs to produce romanticist painting-like effects.  He received much criticism from straight photographers of the modern realist movement. One of his most vocal critics was the photographer Ansel Adams. They carried on a "prolonged written debate".

One of his more angelic faces.  He used old techniques
of spot-printing and vignetting on this photographic portrait.





Portrait of William Mortensen.  I have to say
I like his sense of humor.

Wiki says:

His arguments defending romanticism photography led him to be "ostracized from most authoritative canons of photographic history."  In an essay, Larry Lytle wrote "Due to his approach—both technically and philosophically in opposition to straight or purist adherents — he is amongst the most problematic figures in photography in the twentieth-century... historians and critics have described his images as "...anecdotal, highly sentimental, mildly erotic hand-colored prints...", "...bowdlerized versions of garage calendar pin-ups and sadomasochist entertainments...", "...contrived set-ups and sappy facial expressions...", and finally he was described by Ansel Adams as alternately the "Devil", and "the anti-Christ.""

The man was vilified. (my words) :-(

One of his ghastly creatures ... I find it interesting
that Fay Wray gave credit to her success and discovery
to Mortensen.  He traveled with her as an escort to Hollywood.   Fourteen year old Wray
was a friend of his sister's.





A beautiful face ... I suspect this one may be one of his
enhanced photographs.  It could also be
an illustration.

The Warlock



The Salvador Dali clock theme.



Jean Harlow



Mary Duncan (1895-1993) American actress. 
She died at the age of 97.
Photo made in 1920 by Mortensen. 





Love this one, too.





One of Mortensen's illustrations.
That nose ... why is this man smiling?

I can think of two possible reasons. 

(I don't know a symbol for a smirking smile)

(or downright FEAR!)



This one is entitled, "Fear".  I can see some airbrushing
techniques in the folds of the veil -like material
 in this one.

Another Jean Harlow portrait

Was this man ever ahead of the time!  Look around us today in this digital age of photography.
Recent years have brought praise for Mortensen's development of manipulation techniques and a renewed interest in his work.



Some of my old Marshall's Photo Oil Colors.  I have hung
on to them all these years.



Thank you all so much for spending a little time here with me.

Our Happy, Hilarious, Hysterical Halloween!

Last night we had such a good time!  Lucinda, after working all day, came home and got herself and Canyon all "costumed" and made up for Halloween.  Clint and I were amazed at how she transformed herself and Canyon.  She did some research online and bought some professional clown makeup, she said you can't get good coverage with the Walmart Halloween make up.

Tracy, Lucinda's husband, came to the door with a pair of blinking red eyes glasses. He said later he would put on his entire costume.  When Tracy went out to the car later to slip on his costume, I never imagined just how frightening he would appear!  The first thought was the grim reaper .  He was totally covered in black except for ... the blinking of two red lights where his eyes were located.  These red eyes would light up red intermittently which made them even more spooky. Maybe his costume was so scary because it left much to the imagination on what evil lurked underneath.

Lucinda did a great job on Canyon's costume and makeup.
He ended up being a race car driver zombie.

See!  I told you it was spooky! 



Canyon was having such fun, too!



What big fangs you have! 

 

Close up of  Tracy with those large
red blinking eyes.

 



Lucinda, Mistress of Darkness  (only for one night ;-)   )





I had so much running around to do yesterday
I didn't take the time to do anything but put
on my new witch hat with a veil



Clint, are you okay?  You don't look okay.  You will think twice before
you drink another half gallon of absinthe.

(I had such fun with this and Clint followed my directions perfectly
when I told him to hang out his tongue and have one eye bigger than
the other.  Totally deranged!  Lucinda woke up her husband
with her laughter when she first saw this picture of Clint )

   Warning!  The following is not for the squeamish or faint of heart!  Warning!

Our Halloween Dinner*


*(Truthfully I made this photo a few months ago at a Civil War show, the  booth was that
of a Civil War "surgeon".  Sorry folks, I just couldn't help but post this
when I ran across it working on my blog pics.  I hope I am forgiven.  ☺

Our sausage balls as appetizers before dinner

Our real dinner ... the herb chicken Mediterranean pizza with olive oil, fresh spinach,
sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese



 

 



Canyon was more interested in drawing in in his
new sketchbook than he was eating candy.

A sketchbook was one of his "treats" instead of candy
from his mamaw and papaw.



Can you imagine this fellow pulling up along side you one night
on a dark deserted road?