Museo Camera presents a show of Painted Photographs by Radhir Mehra.
The art of painted photographs gained immense popularity among royals, wealthy art patrons, and the masses in the 19th century shortly after the invention of monochromatic image-making. While studio portraiture in the form of oil paintings catered primarily to the wealthiest patrons, with the advent of photographic prints, the common man could afford to have their portraits made for the first time. Layered painted photographs became the new tool to enhance the images by heightening the realism of the image. It allowed everyone to fulfil their aspirations of living opulent lifestyles. This desire also led to studios being equipped with luxurious backdrops and elaborate props that mimicked royal lifestyles. In the 19th century, ‘Karkhanas’ or studios were set up by photographers to cater to this demand in India. Today this artistry has ceased to exist commercially, but it is still practiced by a few individual artists. This curated exhibition showcases a collection of painted photographs, by one of those few independent artists, Radhir Mehra
Find out more on the Museo Camera website.