See the History of Photography Online at the Google LIFE archives

LIFE magazine has teamed up with Google to create an incredible online database of photographs. Featuring photographs from LIFE’s photo archives, many of which have never been published, this new database of newly-digitized images includes photos and etchings produced and owned by LIFE dating all the way back to the 1750s.

The majority of these photos were sitting in dusty archives and include negatives, slides, glass plates, etchings, and prints. Currently about 20 percent of the collection is online. Over the coming months, Google will be adding the entire LIFE archive. Almost 10 million photos, some dating back to the 1750s will be available.

Inside the archive, you click on the picture to view a full-screen version of each image. High-quality framed prints of any of these photographs can be purchased from LIFE online.

This photograph is dated October 1862 and was take by Alexander Gardner. Yes, the man in the middle is US President Abraham Lincoln.

For a fascinating look at photographic history, the LIFE photo archive hosted by Google is worth a look.

Is the artwork authentic?

Is the artwork authentic? It sounds like a simple question, but there are varying degrees of authenticity.

An authentic artwork is produced by the artist alone. However, artwork is usually still considered authentic when it was create by the artist with the assistance of others – studio assistants or students. Many of the great masters were well known to have created the basic outline of the work and had students or assistants finish the work or fill in the background. Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau is said to have painted the black outline of some of his paintings and have students finish filling in the background colours.

Sometimes an artwork is said to be in the “school of” a particular artists. This means it is by persons in immediate contact and clearly influenced by the artist. The Woodland School of Art is an example of this.

Artwork that is a “copy of …” or a “work after … a known artist” is also known. Students may copy a master’s work as a learning tool. It is not a forgery if it is clearly marked as a copy.

A forgery is a deliberate attempt to mislead a viewer as to the identity of artist, era, materials, etc.

Usually it is only well known artists whose work sells for large prices whose works are forged. It’s just not worth the effort for forgers to copy lesser known artists. The key is to become knowledgeable about art and to purchase from a reputable art dealer to be sure you know what you’re getting.

Bacon Painting Fails to Sell at Auction

A self-portrait by Francis Bacon, up for sale at the famed auction house Christie’s in New York, failed to sell earlier in November. The 1964 “Study for Self Portrait” was expected to sell for almost $40 US. However, the auction house halted the proceedings in the November 12^th auction.

There are many interpretations of this event, depending on who you listen to. According to the British publication Times Online, pulling the painting when the bidding reached $27.4 million is a catastrophic sign of the economic crisis hitting the art market. Of course, British tabloids aren’t exactly known for their restraint when writing about events (read the complete TimesOnline article).

The New York Times had more even-handed coverage of the auction. According to the New York Times, Christie’s pulled the Bacon painting because it received no bids. It may be that Christie’s over-estimated the demand for the painting and had merely promised to deliver something they just could not. (Read the full New York Times article).

Interestingly, the New York Times reports that several paintings at the same auction actually sold for much more than expected, a fact that the British publication failed to mention. For example, “Pharmacy” (1943), a Joseph Cornell box sold for $3.7 million, well above its $2 million estimate, and a record price for the artist at auction.

Yayoi Kusama’s “No. 2″, a 1959 canvas of white and gold tones sold for $5.7 million, way above its $3.5 million high estimate and another record.

So what does this all mean? If you have millions to spend on your art collection, the market is unpredictable and you may be able to get some deals, but don’t count on it. For regular collectors, this one auction really doesn’t have an impact.