Selfportrait (Photosculpture)

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Artist: François Willème Period: 1860 Material: Plaster Location: Albertina (Permanent Loan from Higher Graphic Federal Teaching and Research Institute) Dimensions: 36 x 14.5 x 14.5 cm Scanned: 2016 Scanner: GOM ATOS III Triple Scan François Willème, a skilled sculptor and photographer, invented a groundbreaking method in 1859 for mechanically producing three-dimensional portraits. This innovative technique was later patented in Paris, revolutionizing the field of photography and sculpture. To create these remarkable photosculptures, Willème used twenty-four synchronized cameras placed around his models in a circular formation. The resulting profile sections were then projected onto a surface, allowing the figures to be reproduced in clay on any scale using a precision knife attached to a pantograph. This ingenious process generated a three-dimensional photograph of the model from the sum of its silhouettes. Despite some limitations with internal details and areas between profiles being missing, Willème's mechanical photographic portraiture significantly reduced the workload involved. Just two workers could produce a photosculpture in two to four days, making this method an attractive option for those seeking affordable and high-quality portrait sculptures. Willème's company was able to sell these portrait figures at a fraction of the cost of traditional sculpture, with prices decreasing as more copies were made. The first copy of a 40 cm-tall sculpture cost 200 francs, while subsequent copies sold for 70 francs and then 20 francs. Life-size busts retailed for 500 francs. François Willème's innovative business model continued to thrive until he turned his company into a joint-stock venture in 1863. During this period, he produced many sculptures of prominent Parisian high-society figures as well as members of the Spanish royal family. Studios employing Willème's method opened in Venice, London, and Trieste, but unfortunately, the company was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1867.