Hand tinted cdv’s become popular in America in the 1850’s. The process begins with black and white photographs which provide the canvas for creative artists. In turn they imagine a colorized version and begin what was effectively a painting process. Palettes included a range of oils, dyes, pastels and aniline colors – with special attention paid to facial tones. Since tinting involved added labor, hand colored photographs commanded higher priced and were often considered a status symbol.
Tinted Barnum Girl
