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Glass Plate Negative PHO2006.154
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George H White vividly demonstrates photography's power of illusion with this image of a young man serving up his own head for dinner. This glass negative, made sometime between 1893 and 1902, is likely to have been constructed from collaged elements. Its black humour, punctuated by the young man's uneasy backward glance towards his severed neck, is both fascinating and disturbing.
George H White was born in Lincolnshire, England and arrived in New Zealand in 1893. Upon arriving in New Plymouth, he bought Mr Shaw's established photographic business. Of the White negatives held at Puke Ariki, this image is the only one that departs from the conventions of photographic portraiture. Also a music teacher, in 1902 White decided to devote his attentions to his pupils. Consequently, on Monday 2 June an auction was held at White's studio to sell his photographic equipment. The 2pm sale included cameras, lenses, chemicals, plate glass, backgrounds and studio furniture. The auction notice in the Taranaki Herald, however, made no mention of a severed head.
Information and images from the Puke Ariki collection may not be reproduced, transmitted or copied without permission except for the purposes of private study and research, criticism and review, or education consistent with the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994. Please contact the Puke Ariki Image Service for any further permissions.
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