MARY'S MODERN PROMETHEUS STUDY IN COPPER
Original Cyanotype With Copper Leaf
|
Inspiration:
|
Mary Shelley |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Materials: |
Cyanotype, Handmade Paper, Copper Leaf |
| Dimensions: | 210mm x 300mm |
Inspiration
This artwork was inspired by English novelist Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. A skilled editor and critic, influential travel writer, literary historian, poet and political radical, she is best known for her gothic horror classic Frankenstein. Considered an early example of science fiction, this wildly inventive and strikingly original tale was influenced by Mary’s passion for science, experimentation and thirst for knowledge.
Technique
Mary's Modern Prometheus (Study In Copper) was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using female photographic portraiture, photograms made from petri dish cultures and antique slides of microscopic cells, and an illustration of a foxes skull.
After coating the handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large scale negative is then contact printed onto the paper by exposing to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once the image is fixed it is hand finished with hand-painted, chemical and heat-treated copper leaf.
Dimensions
Unframed: 210mm x 300mm
Framed:
Paper
Handmade recycled cotton rag paper:
320gsm / 100% Cotton Rag / Recycled / Acid Free / PH Neutral / Medium Rough
Mount
We use float mounting for all of our framed cyanotypes. The artwork floats above a snow-white mount board, showcasing the paper texture and deckled edging.
Framing
Framed artwork will arrive ready to hang.
Each frame is handmade by our London based design team. They prime and sand the wooden frame before spraying black or white soft-sheen paint to achieve the highest quality finish. All frames come with gallery spec, 3mm thick anti-reflective/ UV glazing as standard.
If you would like a bespoke frame, please get in touch to discuss alternative colours, gilding and glazing options.
Inspiration
This artwork was inspired by English novelist Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. A skilled editor and critic, influential travel writer, literary historian, poet and political radical, she is best known for her gothic horror classic Frankenstein. Considered an early example of science fiction, this wildly inventive and strikingly original tale was influenced by Mary’s passion for science, experimentation and thirst for knowledge.
Technique
Mary's Modern Prometheus (Study In Copper) was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using female photographic portraiture, photograms made from petri dish cultures and antique slides of microscopic cells, and an illustration of a foxes skull.
After coating the handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large scale negative is then contact printed onto the paper by exposing to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once the image is fixed it is hand finished with hand-painted, chemical and heat-treated copper leaf.
Dimensions
Unframed: 210mm x 300mm
Framed:
Paper
Handmade recycled cotton rag paper:
320gsm / 100% Cotton Rag / Recycled / Acid Free / PH Neutral / Medium Rough
Mount
We use float mounting for all of our framed cyanotypes. The artwork floats above a snow-white mount board, showcasing the paper texture and deckled edging.
Framing
Framed artwork will arrive ready to hang.
Each frame is handmade by our London based design team. They prime and sand the wooden frame before spraying black or white soft-sheen paint to achieve the highest quality finish. All frames come with gallery spec, 3mm thick anti-reflective/ UV glazing as standard.
If you would like a bespoke frame, please get in touch to discuss alternative colours, gilding and glazing options.