Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5
Edward BatemanSpectral Device No. 12014
2014
$650
£492.86
€569.12
CA$911.99
A$1,016.09
CHF 535.89
MX$12,318.47
NOK 6,817.30
SEK 6,350.74
DKK 4,250.82
About the Item
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice of communication with discarnate human spirits. These two developments would intertwine in 1861, when William Howard Mumler produced the first spirit photograph.
Photography has always been used as a form of objective truth. Following the carnage of the American Civil War, people looked to spirit photographs as proof of the continued existence of their loved ones. This practice involved a human "medium" who would make contact with the dead. This process was unreliable and prone to fraud. Mumler himself, who photographed Mary Todd Lincoln with the ghost of the slain president, was brought to trial with none other than P. T. Barnum testifying against him. He was acquitted, but ceased to practice and died in poverty.
At the same time, others sought new technologies which, like the camera, could extend human senses and without human intervention conclusively reveal the existence of life beyond the grave. These individuals brought all the technologies of their day: magnetism, electricity and steam to bear on the challenge of revealing the existence of life beyond the grave.
The images presented here document some of these inventors and their creations used to manifest discarnate spirits. We may doubt the truthfulness of their claims, but one thing is certain: the camera does indeed let us see the dead again, not as ghostly manifestations, but as meaningful and precious documents of those that once lived.
- Creator:Edward Bateman (1962)
- Creation Year:2014
- Dimensions:Height: 16 in (40.64 cm)Width: 11 in (27.94 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Framing:Framing Options Available
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Sante Fe, NM
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU13427035112
Edward Bateman
Edward Bateman is an artist and professor at the University of Utah. Through constructed and often anachronistic imagery, he creates alleged historical artifacts that examine our belief in the photograph as a reliable witness. In 2009, Nazraeli Press released a signed and numbered book of his work titled Mechanical Brides of the Uncanny, that explores 19th-century automatons as a metaphor for the camera, stating, "For the first time in human existence, objects of our own creation were looking back at us.” Bateman and his work have been included in the third edition of Seizing the Light: A Social and Aesthetic History of Photography by Robert Hirsch. His work has been shown internationally in over 25 countries and is included in the collections of The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston and Getty Research, among others.
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 1993
1stDibs seller since 2015
233 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 22 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Santa Fe, NM
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllSpectral Device No. 8
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Spectral Device No. 9
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Spectral Device No. 11
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Spectral Device No. 6
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Spectral Device No. 16
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Spectral Device No. 12
By Edward Bateman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
At nearly the same time that photography was invented, the practice of Spiritualism was being born in the "burned-over district" of New York. Central to its belief was the practice o...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
You May Also Like
Untitled [Science]
By Joseph Mills
Located in New York, NY
Varnished photo montage on paper
Category
Early 2000s Surrealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
![Untitled [Science]](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/a_9323/1584647427635/Mills_Untitled_Varnished_Photo_1200_2_master.jpg?width=240)
Price Upon Request
M. Dumas - Photograph - 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
M. Dumas, silver salt b/w print is a vintage silver salt Photograph realized in the 19th Century.
On the rear" Le Meme Sujet" Edition 3 fr, Emile Adan, Les de...
Category
Late 19th Century Modern Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Automaton
Located in Nashville, TN
Early fascinations with photography and science have inspired Don Dudenbostel throughout his extensive career. As a young student interested in Science, Dudenbostel was always trying...
Category
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
INSPIRATION
By Hugh Arnold
Located in Chicago, IL
Limited edition Lambda Chromogenic Print mounted on Dibond (an aluminum substrate) with UV Acrylic.
Also available on Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper
Edition Size: 10 plus 2 AP
*Please inquire for additional sizes*
“Agua Nacida,” meaning “water born” in Spanish, is a unique collection of large-scale underwater nudes by renowned fashion and beauty photographer Hugh Arnold...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
Materials
Lambda
Price Upon Request
Forgotten Elements - Vintage Photograph - Mid 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Forgotten Elements - American Vintage Photograph is an original black and white photograph realized in the U.S in the Mid-20th Century in a series of American life in the 20th Centur...
Category
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Untitled
Located in New York, NY
2022
Signed and numbered, verso
Cyanotype print toned with ammonia and tannic acid (Edition of 5)
9.5 x 7 inches (24.1 x 17.8 cm), image
12.25 x 9.75 inches (31.1 x 24.8 cm), fra...
Category
2010s Contemporary Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
