Wrinkled faces in portraits

From: Frank A. Reynolds <*fr0c<-a*> Date: Monday, February 4, 2008 · fr0c<-a

Hunt Institute has a collection of some 30,000 portraits.  I have
notice an interesting phenomenon in some late 19th century
portraits.  The faces in these portraits are wrinkled. The wrinkling
looks very similar to film that has been subjected to a high
temperature when processed, causing the emulsion to separate from
the base so that when the film dries the emulsion dries unevenly.
Since only the faces of these photographs are wrinkled, that would
seem to indicate that something was done to just that area of the
film.  Perhaps an attempt to lessen age lines in the subject's face?
Would anyone know anything about this?

Frank A. Reynolds
Graphics Manager
Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
Carnegie Mellon University

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:43
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