‘Boreas Borthwood’

Early experiments in Black Magic

Silver gelatin print on glass (circular piece of 4mm thick glass). (200mm diameter)

Mounted in a late Victorian ornate brass frame, depicting the ‘horned god’. (450x360mm)

Made by coating the surface of the glass with silver gelatin, and exposing onto it the image from a 35mm black and white negative of the overhanging branches of a mighty oak tree in Borthwood Copse on the Isle of Wight. The glass is then developed in the dark room, and fixed with a chemical called ‘Black Magic’.

The image on glass is protected by another circular piece of glass (3mm) at the front of the frame. Both are tightly and securely held in place by a carefully crafted section at the rear of the frame.

Because of the thickness of the glass there is a gap between the image and the mount board, so there is the beautiful shadow play of the branches.

The Horned God reflects the seasons of the year in an annual cycle of life, death and rebirth and his imagery is a blend of the Gaulish god Cernunnos, the Greek god Pan, and the Green Man.

If you have any questions about this piece, or would like to see any more photographs, or have any questions regarding delivery, please get in touch here.