Page 9 - Feb 2023 News On 7

HAZZARD'S HISTORY NOTES

by Grant Ketcheson
“PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST”

In monthly history notes, we have been remembering pioneer settlers of the Hazzard's Corners community. This has
been done by wandering through Hazzard's Cemetery and viewing the monuments. However, we also remember some
by searching out old photos. As there were few cameras 150 years ago, family pictures were taken by professionals.
Madoc, like many other small towns, had its own studio, operated by L. Morrice who had his business on Durham Street
for many years.
In the 1850s a sunlight projection camera was developed. This allowed the image from a small photograph to be projected
onto a large sheet of light-sensitive paper. This produced a faint image that was then completed by an artist, using pencil
crayons, to make a copy of the original picture, sometimes even tinted. Usually, depending on the skill of the artist, the
result was a large, accurate portrait of the person. Such portraits were popular from 1860-1915. These reproductions
allowed a family the luxury of even having the artist change the clothing on the subject! One of our pictures has
instructions on the back to “put a white shirt on father.” Some portraits were even produced after the subject's death,
particularly in the case of children.
As compared to paintings, these crayon portraits were
reasonably priced. One that we have, of a great-grandfather,
had the price of $8.25 written on the back. While this doesn't
seem like much, it was a good many hours' wages in the
early 1900s. The fact that these portraits were usually
displayed in ornate frames gave an elegant touch to many a
modest farmhouse parlour. We count ourselves fortunate to
have a half-dozen “crayon portraits” of ancestors hanging in
our home.