Published: July 11, 2009 06:18 pm      

VASICEK: Happy Birthday, Mr. Eastman!

According to Internet sources, 18 doctors are named “Dr. Doctor,” in our country, and one is named “Dr. Surgeon.” I hate to think how many ministers are named, “Pastor Parson” or “Pastor Shepherd.”

Yet you would be hard pressed to find a photographer named, “Mr. Kodak.” We’ll talk about why this is so below. Let me get the ball rolling with a seemingly disconnected introduction. Things will come together later in the article. I promise.

My wife and I recently toured the National Gallery of Art, one of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C. Last time in D.C., we spent three days gazing and marveling at the many fine artworks. This time around, we could only squeeze in one day. While taking a tour, our guide tried to justify the goofy direction of modern art (“goofy” is my term, not hers!). Her explanation was unique: the development of the camera made art that accurately captured an image obsolete, so artists responded by becoming more abstract and emotional in their presentations.

The theory I have embraced (espoused by the evangelical intellect Francis Schaeffer) is that art follows philosophy; as philosophers became more despairing and nihilistic, art followed; eventually – given a century or so – the philosophies of these negative philosophers work down to the popular culture. Although I have not forsaken Schaeffer’s theory, it is possible that both causes contribute toward the splotches that are passed off as art (this is the “Opinion Page,” after all, and I got ’em; folks; I’m saying the emperor has no clothes!).

Photography certainly did make certain forms of art obsolete. Many fine artists made their living painting portraits; not all of them painted for the wealthy, and not all were the best. Just as Vaudeville provided a living for great numbers of entertainers, so artists abounded to fill the popular demand for portraits. Just as movies trashed all but the best Vaudevillians, so photography devastated the careers of most portrait painters. Once photography advanced, portrait painting was restricted to the “best of the best” painters, and only the wealthy commissioned such paintings.

George Eastman, one of the most important men in photography, was born on this day, July 12, back in 1854. If he were still alive, he would have to blow out an amazing 155 candles! Fortunately (for the sake of fire safety) he died in 1932.

Although we have plenty of photos from the Civil War era, Eastman made photography the domain of the common man:

“In 1874, Eastman became intrigued with photography, but found the process awkward. It required coating a glass plate with a liquid emulsion, which had to be quickly used before it dried. After three years of experimentation with British gelatin emulsions, Eastman developed a dry photographic plate, and patented it in both Britain and the US. In 1880 he began a photographic business.

“n 1884, Eastman patented a photographic medium that replaced fragile glass plates with a photo-emulsion coated on paper rolls. The invention of roll film greatly sped up the process of recording multiple images” (source: Wikipedia).

Eastman, who died a bachelor, consulted with his mother about naming his new business enterprise. They came up with the name “Kodak,” an invented, unique name that could not be mispronounced. That is why you are unlikely to meet a “Mr. Kodak.” Kodak then went on to develop simple cameras that sold to the masses -- for only one dollar per unit!

Just as Edison’s phonograph was the predecessor to the CD and MP3 player, so film cameras have filled the void until the advent of the high-resolution digital camera. Just as early photos seemed “dashed silly” replacements for paintings (early on), so professional photographers viewed digital cameras as toys — until recently.

Once roll film was invented, moving pictures were within reach. The rest is history.

Although portrait painters lost their trade, professional photographers have risen to fill the gap. We recognize photography as a legitimate art form. Instead of a net loss, we seem to have a trade. Thank you, Mr. Eastman, for your contribution toward human progress.

• Ed Vasicek is pastor of Highland Park Church and a weekly contributor to the Kokomo Tribune.