Black out Silhouettes then and now

The catalogue of a 2018-19 exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, this volume examines an overlooked art form particularly popular in the first part of the 19th century, before the advent of photography. Naeem (curator, National Portrait Gallery) and four other scholars consider the art of silhouettes, profile portraits cut out of paper (usually, but not always, black). Silhouettes were an inexpensive--and widespread--art form in the US, and, as the foreword explains, their many "historical, political and social aspects" reveal much about US culture, including slavery. Silhouette cutters--most of them unknown, in their day as now--traveled all over the country. In the first essay, "Silhouettes Then and Now," Naaem provides a definitive discussion of the subject, looking at how meanings of silhouettes have changed since the 18th century. She includes four examples of modern silhouette creators. There are 98 excellent pictures, a few in full color, plus pictures of tracing machines. The catalogue proper includes 49 examples, all carefully described. Including notes to sources with commentaries, this volume should become the standard reference on the subject. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.--William L. Whitwell, formerly, Hollins College

It's surprising that portrait silhouettes have not been the focus of a major exhibition until now. While the depiction of individuals in "shadow" goes back to ancient times, these works, primarily from the extensive collections of the National Portrait Gallery, embody an American sensibility as a democratic, accessible, means of portrait creation. (Until, of course, photography took over after 1839). The book serves as a catalog for the exhibition of the same name, with author Naeem, curator of prints, drawings, and media arts at the Gallery, including the work of four contemporary artists: Kristi Malakoff, Camille Utterback, Kumi Yamashita, and Kara Walker. These artists use concepts of silhouette, shadow, and identity to meet their own creative goals. Catalog entries provide rich historical context. Three separate essays detail the materials and techniques of silhouette creation and highlight the work of two exceptional artists: former slave Moses Williams and -Martha Ann Honeywell, born armless, who worked with her mouth and toes. VERDICT Readers will come away with a refreshed appreciation of silhouettes, both their significance historically but also their influence on today's artists whose art compels viewers to reflect on identity and its portrayal through time.-Nancy B. Turner, Temple Univ. Lib., Philadelphia © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.