Pair of Crystoleum pictures c 1880-1910
On convex glass framed in gold with a red felt liner.
The interesting method of a the making of a Crystoleum picture popular between 1880 and 1910:
An albumen print is first pasted face down to the inside of a convex piece of glass. Once the adhesive was dry, the paper backing of the print was rubbed away, leaving only the transparent emulsion on the glass. The image was then coloured by hand, using oil paints. Another piece of glass was added to the back and this also is coloured by hand. Both pieces of glass were bound together creating a detailed, somewhat fragile haunting image.
