Portrait of Charles Volkmar at work in his studio

Item Details

Arcata, California, Humbolt State University, 1985

Edition of catalogue is 80

A vintage silver print  portrait of art potter Charles Volkmar by pictorialist photographer, Louise Halsey, ca. 1910.  7 5/8 x 6" Signed by the photographer in pencil on the print, lower right; titled 'Volkmar/Potter' in pencil on the reverse of the print. Accompanied by a catalogue for the exhibition (edition of 80)  "Louise Halsey, An American Pictorialist" at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, January 10-30, 1985 and a poster for the exhibition.  Halsey specialized in portraiture and occupational photography.  Six of her photographs of Charles and Leon Volkmar at work in their studios, including this one, were included in the Humboldt State exhibition.

Famed art potter Charles Volkmar, working in the Arts and Crafts tradition, opened Volkmar Kilns in 1902 along with his equally well known son and ceramicist Leon. Halsey would have had a natural access to the Volkmars.  She made this photograph while she was studying photography at the Clarence White School of Photography in New York and commuting there from Metuchen New Jersey, the home of the Volkmar Kilns.