Divine Presence in Spain and Western Europe 1500–1960: Visions, Religious Images and Photographs

Absence in family photographs around World War I [with Images]

202 Absence and presence in family photographs around World War I Photomontage was used in real, studio portraits as well (the examples I have are Spanish, French, Belgian , Dutch, Russian and Italian) to unite couples and families separated by emigration, military service, imprisonment or death. For separation is an intimation of death, death once removed. In the composite photographs we see an emulation, whether on the part of the studio photographers, their clients, or both, of the commercial cards centering on presence and absence. Indeed, in the case of the re- fined Dutch and Belgian prisoner of war photomontages , the personal cards are at times hard to tell apart from commercial ones. By the time of the postcard boom the shift from holy card and religious print to personal photos as treasured icons had already taken place, for Carte de Visite or Cabinet photographs were accessible to persons of modest means. In the commercial postcard pictures themselves, and in personal family photos, there is surprisingly little depiction of postcards. The photograph, not the commercial postcard, is what the women, the children, the parents at home frame, hold and look at, what the soldier and the prisoner of war have on their tables, their key chains, or in 203 their hands. However artistic, expressive, entertaining , or moving, commercial postcards in their mighty billions were a blip on the screen compared to the emotional meaning of the photographs that preceded them, coincided with them, and outlasted them.33 (Figs. 143–159.) In this light, in family portraits with soldiers taken during World War I, many of them when the soldiers were on leave, we see the prospect of the ultimate separation. They are pictures in which the absent are fused with the present in case they are eternally sundered .34 These pictures are part of the family history of most of the inhabitants in Central and Western Europe (Figs. 160–174). Portraits pass from being mementos to memento mori.35 As such they can bridge the gap first between present and absent, then between the living and the dead. All are potentially pictures of visions truly seen only by those who knew them. A Hungarian historian told me about her grandfather from Zemplén County who emigrated to South America to work in the mines and send money to his family. After a few letters the only time he was heard from again, years later, was a single photo postcard of him standing in a studio next to a column, leaning on a stand, with a phrase on the back with his date of death. 205 Fig. 143. Girl with mother’s portrait, c. 1910. Photomontage on thick stock, Barcelona, J. Alonso. 206 Fig. 144. Man thinking of woman. “To my dear mother and sisters I dedicate this keepsake with all the affection of my heart, Jaime Monreal.” Spain, after 1905. 207 Fig. 145. Woman with two girls thinks of absent man, to whom photomontage was sent for saint’s day, July 14, 1915. Spain (sold from Elda, Alicante). 208 Fig. 146. “Lola Marignan and her grandchildren.” Photomontage, Valencia, Foto Pavia. 209 Fig. 147. Soldier writes to absent woman. Photomontage on thick stock, c. 1915–1923. Cartagena, Haro Hermanos. 210 Fig. 148. Young woman writes to absent soldier. Photomontage on thick stock, c. 1915–1923. Postcard. Spain. 211 Fig. 149. Italian soldier thinks of woman. Photomontage, Livorno, Veroli. 212 Fig. 150. Soldier in studio. Carte de Visite, Marseilles, L. Gaulard. 6.3x10.5 cm. 213 Fig. 151. Woman and child with absent soldier. Photomontage on Guilleminot, Boespflug et Cie (Paris) stock. 214 Fig. 152. Soldier with photo of daughter. France. 215 Fig. 153. Family and absent man, possibly prisoner of war. Photomontage, Belgium? (purchased from Bruges). 216 Fig. 154. Family and absent soldier, possibly prisoner of war. Photomontage on Guilleminot, Boespflug et Cie (Paris) stock. 217 Fig. 155. Soldier and absent family. Photomontage, Germany. 218 Fig. 157. Father and soldier prisoner. “Zaandam 31-1-1918.” Photomontage, Netherlands. Fig. 156. Children and absent soldier. Photomontage on postcard - Carte Postale K Ltd stock. Belgium or France. 219 Fig. 158. Berthe in Liège and Lambert Hermans, prisoner of war near Hannover. “Bonne fête...