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.

Norval Morrisseau’s Androgyny on Display at Rideau Hall

On September 18, 2008, Norval Morrisseau’s painting entitled Androgyny was installed in the Rideau Hall Ballroom. Morrisseau, who was awarded the Order of Canada in 1979, donated this painting to the Canadian people on April 15, 1983.

Androgyny is a spectacular piece, measuring of 3.66 metres high by 6.1 metres wide. Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean wrote:

“I was struck by one piece in particular, a striking, luminous and monumental painting of staggering vivacity that Morrisseau donated to the people of Canada in 1983 through the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s Indian and Inuit Art Centre.

“The title itself, Androgyny, is an invitation to dive into the vision he had of the fusion of beings and elements, the harmony that exists between people, the complementarity of the meeting of civilizations. (Art guides us through the opaqueness of life; this gives it power and makes it essential.) Morrisseau the shaman travels between different worlds to ward off fate and adversity. With Androgyny, he invites us to join the conversation and shows us that when One unites with Other, they become One.”

Androgyny, seen above, is on display at Rideau Hall until 2011.

David Morrisseau: Past Life

Toronto artist David Morrisseau, son of Norval Morrisseau, is a leading contemporary artist. Similar to his father, David Morrisseau uses vibrant colours and native imagery in his paintings.

David’s style is distinct from that of his father however. The thick black lines characteristic of Norval Morrisseau and all the Woodland Group of Seven artists are not seen in David’s paintings. While his style is more refined, it still represents the spiritual nature of the Woodland School. David’s paintings are also more figurative, using peaceful images and symbols which are easily recognizable yet still very much connected to his native culture. He has great command of his palette and is masterful at his compositions; every creation is a story.

“David Morrisseau is the most talented of Norval Morrisseau’s children,” says Ron de Boer. Ron isn’t the only one who holds this opinion. In recent years, David’s career has taken off, with several of his paintings selling at auction in Toronto and Montreal. Overall, his art has doubled in value in the past year alone. Clearly a David Morrisseau painting is a good investment for collectors looking to add value to their art portfolio.

This photograph was taken in David’s Toronto studio by photographer Ronnie Roberts in the spring of 2008. Here David is putting the finishing touches on “Past Life”. This stunning painting, a 24″ x 30″ acrylic on canvas, is one of a number of his original paintings currently on display at Gallery de Boer – Fine Art & Jazz.

Is Art A Good Investment?

People collect art for a variety of reasons. They may purchase art to add colour and life to the walls of their home. Some may fall in love with the work of a particular artist. Others collect for the status and prestige of being a collector.

Regardless of your reasons for collecting art, at some point after your first purchase, you may begin wondering “is art a good investment?” While on the surface this seems like a simple question. The answer, however, is considerably more complex.

When you invest your money in stocks, bonds or real estate, you can be fairly certain that while there may be fluctuations in value, in the long term your investment will increase in value. But is this the case of art?

Two economists at N.Y.U. – Jiangping Mei and Michael Moses – tried to answer this question. They looked at paintings which had been sold at auction at Christie’s and Sotheby’s on more than one occasion. They compared the two sale prices and used this data to create the Mei Moses Fine Art Index. Their conclusion based on the paintings they studied is that art outperformed bonds in the past 130 years and outperformed stocks in the past fifty years.

So that must mean art is a good investment, right?

Not necessarily. The problem with the Mei Moses Fine Art Index is it is not reflective of the art field as a whole. Art that is auctioned at Christie’s and Sotheby’s tends to be art the owners know will fetch a high price. And while not all paintings sold at these auctions are Monets and Picassos selling for millions of dollars, the median price of paintings studies was in the $200,000 to $300,000.

So, if your art collection includes art that sells for thousands rather than hundreds of thousands of dollars, is art still a good investment?

First you need to remember that art is always a long-term investment. You need to be thinking in terms of decades, not months. You also need to remember that art, unlike stocks or bonds, can’t be liquidated quickly. Also, there are certain costs associated with maintaining an art collection: insurance, storage and conservation.

But the real problem with deciding whether art is a good investment is deciding which artists’ work is going to increase in value. The Mei Moses Fine Art Index includes artists whose value has been long established.

But when your collection doesn’t include the likes of Monet, Picasso or even Tom Thomson, how do you decide what art to collect?

First and foremost, your art collection should include works you truly love. Since art is a long-term investment, and this investment will be on display in your home, you need to be able to enjoy your purchases.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t also build a collection that becomes more valuable over time. The first step to doing so involves becoming educated about art. Spend time viewing as much art as you can. Visit public and commercial galleries, museums, art shows and auctions. Decide what you like and don’t like. Certain styles and periods will appeal to you more than others.

As you are looking at art, ask questions of the gallery owners. Use the opportunity to learn more about particular artists and genres as well as the art industry as a whole. Gallery owners spend their time looking at and evaluating art so they can be an invaluable resource. Compare art and artists based on your reaction, prices and quality.

Once you’ve looked at enough art you will begin to notice trends in your taste. There will be particular artists, art movements and periods that appeal more to you than others. Do some research about these artists’ lives and histories. Use libraries, bookstores and the Internet as research tools.

Armed with an understanding of your taste, some knowledge of the art field and overall value of particular artists, you can begin working with a knowledgeable and trustworthy gallery owner to build your own unique art collection.

With some knowledge and a little effort, you can create an art collection that will bring you years of enjoyment while growing in value over the years.

Norval Morrisseau: Art as Wholistic Education