About Face
While it is not particularly common, sometimes photographers have taken pictures of their subjects from the back. Sometimes it's been done for artistic reasons and in other cases it's to show something specific. Occasionally one can recognize a person whose image has been taken from the rear. Often, however, the picture could be of anybody.
Xmas Greeting

This carte de visite by Percival, New York,
is a rather nice composition of a man reading.
In this case, it happens to show him from the rear.
is a rather nice composition of a man reading.
In this case, it happens to show him from the rear.

In this particular case the photograph shows
Johnnie Weismuller and his wife Bobbie.
I don't think that anyone could have recognized them
without being told who they were.
(6 x 8 inch International Newsreel Photo March 14, 1931)
Johnnie Weismuller and his wife Bobbie.
I don't think that anyone could have recognized them
without being told who they were.
(6 x 8 inch International Newsreel Photo March 14, 1931)

Would anyone possibly be able to guess that this is
movie star Lucille Ball taken from the rear to
show her hair style created for the RKO Radio Musical,
movie star Lucille Ball taken from the rear to
show her hair style created for the RKO Radio Musical,
Seven Days' Leave ? Not even a diehard fan
would probably know.
(7 1/4 x 9 inch silver print by Ernest A. Bachrach)
would probably know.
(7 1/4 x 9 inch silver print by Ernest A. Bachrach)




This was the first carte de visite of it's type
that I'd ever seen.
I believe that it was created as a visual joke.
It made me laugh as I hope it will you.
that I'd ever seen.
I believe that it was created as a visual joke.
It made me laugh as I hope it will you.
The images below are carte de visite size.
They have numbers written in ink on the left side.
There is no indication as to who the photographer is
or where they were made.
They were obviously created to show
the native costumes of a particular country and region.
This isn't uncommon. What is unusual, however,
is that the images of the front and the back of the costumes
are mounted back to back on the card.
They have numbers written in ink on the left side.
There is no indication as to who the photographer is
or where they were made.
They were obviously created to show
the native costumes of a particular country and region.
This isn't uncommon. What is unusual, however,
is that the images of the front and the back of the costumes
are mounted back to back on the card.
















Armor . Salt Prints by Groll photographer

Images from the museum collection are not available for sale