Photoceramic Portrait of a Child in a classic navy sailor suit

A photoceramic portrait of a young boy dressed in a classic navy sailor suit, a highly fashionable attire for children from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
Entierly colourised by hand painting 

Ceramic plate 26 cm x 20 cm
Frame 43cm x  36cm

What are Photoceramic Portraits?

As early photography techniques developed, two French photographers, Bulot and Cattin, patented the first photoceramic method in 1854. They used a collodion process which transferred an image onto surfaces such as enamel or porcelain before firing the picture in a kiln. A rich and detailed history can be found at the Association of Dutch Enamilors.

Prior to the photoceramic portrait, miniature paintings were all the rage. The wealthy would commission a likeness to be worn in jewelry, framed on walls, or inserted in objects. The working class could afford photography, and photoceramic portraits had the look and the feel of a miniature painting. Many of the pieces were hand embellished to look like paintings, but they had an accuracy that a painter could never fully achieve. These portraits were created for both living and deceased individuals.