The Novel Reproduction of Oil Paintings, Drawings, or Photographs from Nature, Patterns, and Stuffs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June. 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
מך זCoin
The Novel Reproduction of Oil Paintings, Drawings, or Photographs
from Nature, Patterns, and Stuffs.
I HENRI BOGAERTS of Hill Side Villa Hampstead in the County of Middlesex
Inventor of different graphic processes do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to reproduce in colours on canvas or other suitable
material by ordinary impression any work of an artist or photograph converted by the
new process itself into oil paintings with the touches of the brush reliefs and even the
imitation of the canvas surface or stuff itself in large numbers by the machine press
or in small numbers by the use of a photographic impression.
I proceeed in various ways according to the object to be reproduced.
The preparation of the canvas is the same for all work. I impart to it all
the qualities which are found in the best paper for typographic or lithographic
printing.
I coat the canvas witli different coats of colour in order to give it the thickness of a
sheet of cardboard. After each coat laid on the canvas I powder it with white
powder. After the colour has dried the canvas passes through cylinders in order to
give it the necessary glazing.
The dry powder fills up all the inequalities and adheres to the original colour upon
tlie canvas. The application of the colour is repeated three or more times according
to the thickness of the relief which I wish to obtain.
The dry white powder applied after each coat gives the canvas the same softness as
is found in the paper known as chalk surfaced paper and which takes ink perfectly.
To prevent the inconvenience of the canvas being lengthened during the process it is
coated at the back with a solution of shellac combined with alcohol. The canvas so
prepared is stiff and waterproof and ready to obtain consecutive impressions in the
hand or machine printing press better than ordinary paper.
"' The preparation of my plates for printing is effected by means of the processes
known in lithography or typography. They are printed lithographically or typo-
graphically by blocks (cliches) in relief. For printing in small numbers I make use
of collotype printing or even photography direct. Suppose for instance I wish to
print in small numbers a photographic portrait from nature. I begin by obtaining
my photographic plate I make a copy of it on carbon or other paper which I can
transfer. Before transferring it onto the canvas I have made on stone a rough out-
line of the portrait which I transfer four times onto the stone.
I combine these four colours which I wish to avail myself of as in lithography and
I print them successively onto the canvas.
These four colours (or more if I prefer it) receive as a final touch the photographic
impression. In order to give it a perfect resemblance to the oil painting I have made
an impression of the outline on a piece of cardboard which I have first of all passed
through a cylinder or plate reproducing exactly the lines of the cloth. I paint upon
this cardboard with one colour only consisting of white mixed with a little red blue or
other deep colour gelatine glycerine water and sugar and with this colour I lay on the
touches of the brush the reliefs in colour and even the touches with the knife and the
glazing.
This cardboard serves as a matrix for making a galvano or for casting a stereotype
plate which I afterwards apply by strong pressure onto the canvas containing the
colours and the photographic impression. The result obtained is the changing of the
photograph into a real painting giving all the strokes of the brush the different reliefs
of colour of natural painting and thus the incalculable half tints which give oil
paintings their charm.

page_text: For the exact reproduction of drawings in colours on stuffs the models of which
may be made on paper the stuff itself cotton cloth or other material serves as a matrix
for obtaining the relief of the original which I apply upon my coloured drawing.
The new patterns of cotton or cloth which now require the preparation of costly
engravings upon little engraved cylinders can be produced at a much lower price
by this system.
For the exact reproduction of original pictures I make my matrix upon the original
itself. I coat it with a light coating of sweet oil applied with a brush to prevent
adhesion which I remove as much as possible. I pour upon it a coating of collodium
which I allow to dry. On this I lay several coats of colours which do not adhere to
the colours of the picture but to the collodium which is separated from the picture by
the oil and I leave the colours applied to dry thoroughly. After some days I can
easily remove the coating from the original picture which has not suffered the least
damage and the reliefs brush strokes and even the canvas of which showing here and
there are reproduced with the greatest exactness. By the ordinary means of galvano-
plastics I obtain a plate which then serves as a matrix for obtaining the reliefs of the
original. I varnish the canvas and the picture is ready.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The preparation of the canvas or other suitable material for obtaining direct
impressions substantially as described.
2. The application of the collodium and the coats of colour for obtaining the matrix
from an original picture substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
3. The application of water colour with gelatine or some other suitable substance in
order to obtain a paste having the same thickness as oil colour and which can be
exposed to a great heat without deteriorating substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
4. The application of the galvanoplastic stereotyping to obtain exact originals of the
canvas or other stuffs for the manufacture of patterns or the reproduction of works
of art substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of June 1980
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.