New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-06
COMPOSITE PICTURES.

Composite photography is one of the resources OF
modern science DR.. Francis Cation devised a sys-
TEN of averaging faces and other objects by means
of the camera. BY taking fifteen or twenty photo
graphs of faces and combining them in single
portrait the operator by this method of delineation
obscures individual variations and makes close
approach to tho average man. The current
number of Science contains four portraits OF
this kind prepared by Professor Pun
pelly from actual photographs of distin-
guished Americans. Twelve mathematicians
contribute their general features to the common
stock of the composite face; sixteen naturasts
are merged into a shadowy type; thlrty-one acad-
emicians are united in single artistic whole and
twenty-six biologists aud topographers appear
normal professional likeness. Cuuously enough
one strong face appears TO dominate all the Others
in two of thsse groups the element of prepotency,
as 1t is termed in learned phrase, disturbing the
operation of the law of averages. That
is to say two Of the composite faces bear strong
resemblance to a single picture Oae of the dis
tlngnished scientists owns more stock in the COM
blned naturalist than modesty and fair play war
rant One of the academcians, probably owing to
fayoritism on the part of the hanging committee,
has projected himself in the centre of the family
group In each case the dominating face is the one
having the strongest and most characteristic feat
ures.
The applications of the Californian process
are numerous as the fields Of scientific research
Professor Punpelly's charming group OF four
suggests to u.s. however. a pleasing method of re
Loving the anxieties Of hundreds and thousands of
people who seem doomed to disappointment when
ever they sit for photographs. The composite
Mathematician Is very good-lOOking man wit b
deep imaginative eyes, massive forehead
and a strong self-respecting nose. AS for the
combined academcian he looks AS though he
could write poetry as well paint portraits,
and make love successfully to the belle of the town
Combination evidently improves the chances of
personal beauty. man who is ugly enough when
taken by himself may look positively handsome
when artstlcally toned down and adulterated IN a
group of thirty The element Of prepotency in
crcases the possibilities of the problem. group of
a dozen downright homey spinsters might be trans
figured into loveliness If they could only prevail
upon remarkably beautiful girl to sit with them
and to dominate all the others. 1t would be a
new and popular style of club picture"
The most useful application Of this system of
composite photography lies undoubtedly in the
realm Of politics. Reflrners arc fond of talking
ab ut the average politician and the average Office
holder but some process Is needed by which these
vague congratulations can be brought before crit-
cal eyes There are wldo differences of opinion
respecting the character Of President Clevelands
newly appointed oGlcc-hoders. They are variously
rated as belonging 10 the better and the
worse classes of politicians a. being
good enough to please Mugwumps aud bad enough
to disgust both Democrats and Republicans: as
trading Professionals of a low order and as Civil
Service rcformers OF sincere convictions Ii would
be both interesting and instructive to have COM
posite picture taken of the diplomatic corps in
order to ascertain what would become of Keile y
and whether the ferocious Brigldier or the sneak
ing Copperhead would distinctly dominate all the
others IL would also be profitable to consider
whether Higgins. Pillsbury. Chase and Troup would
be overshtdowed by Postmaster Pearson In a COM
bination Civil Service Reform group. A composite
picture would reveal the crucial fact whether the
President Is appointing practical Democrats or
theoretical reformers 10 office The country would
also have some means Of Judging what the average
Democrat Is hkc-how hungry aud how thirsty hc
looks.