In the renaissance period in Europe, they were "the poor man's portrait". Most people could not afford a painted portrait or sculpture to ensure their immortality. The silhouette artist brought these services to the common man. The typical artist roamed from town to town, trading his talents for as little as a meal or a place to bed down for the night. I those harsh times, paper was almost as precious as gold. The average artist used a lamp or a candle to cast his subject's shadow on a wood plank or section of stiff cloth. It was then traced with a lump of charcoal from the fire. I then could be inked or painted at the artist's leisure.
By the 1800's, paper, once a valuable commoditity, became more plentiful and new phase in silhouette portraiture arose. The art form's namesake was Etienne D'Silhouette(1709-1767). He was appointed a minister of finance in France in the 1700's. He was miserable at the task and after trying to tax the aristocracy, was ousted. To this day there is an expression in French, "A la silhouette". It means anything cheap or flimsy.... Thanks alot Etienne! He had an unusual hobby though.... Cutting shadow portraits using only his eye, a piece of paper and a pair of scissors. Silhouette artists flourished during this period. They might have continued to do so, except for one man, George Eastman.
Mr. Eastman was the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company. His development of the first practical home camera dealt the death blow to silhouette art. Now anyone could have an accurate and inexpensive portrait at the click of a shutter. Silhouette art rapidly died out in America as well as Europe. It is considered little more than a novelty now.
There has been a silhouette artist in Disneyland since it's opening day. Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World as well. These artists are some of the most prolific in the world. They each turn out as much as 200 portraits a day! Their art is displayed in homes in every corner of the globe. Even today when miracles are considered commonplace, it is refreshing to see people astonished by one of the oldest forms art known to man.
I am justifiably proud to number myself among their ranks.
Silhouette art can be traced back to the oldest known cave paintings. They have been a part of every culture, then and since. They can be found almost everywhere. From the school crossing sign down the street, the handicap parking space and even the sign on a public restroom. They are a language universally understood, and an invaluable tool in the course of our daily lives. However, in earlier times they were much more.
