Remarque: A Photographic Signature
Upon close inspection of this photo, you can see a small image below the wintry landscape. This is a profile portrait of Paul Gunter that comes from a photo found within his collection. Gunter most likely printed this small image on the photo mats before printing the larger landscape image. This small detail was not common in the world of photography at the time and highlights Gunter’s curiosity and love of experimentation.
This idea likely came from remarques, which are small sketches at the bottom of etchings. These were popular in the late 19th century during the etching revival to make certain prints more collectable. It is impossible to determine what exactly inspired Gunter’s experimentation with remarques, but he could have been influenced by his friend Theodore Eitel, who was an engraver.
Additional Reading:
- “Dictionary of Printmaking Terms.” The Philadelphia Print Shop. The Philadelphia Print Shop, Ltd. Accessed February 17, 2021. http://www.philaprintshop.com/diction.html.
- Everett, Morris T. “Revival of Interest in Etching.” Brush and Pencil 8, no. 5 (1901): 233–46. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25505662.