Oscar Rejlander
1813–1875 · Sweden / United Kingdom
Photographic invention through combined images.
Explore 6 works ↓
Oscar Gustave Rejlander · 1857
twowaysoflife_bw.jpg (JPG; 206 kB). blueredporter.blox.pl. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved on 2026-10-28.
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
The story
In the nineteenth century, Oscar Rejlander explored photography’s narrative and expressive possibilities. In The Two Ways of Life, he combined many negatives to construct a large allegorical scene. He also made studies of expression and gesture. His work brings observation of the body into dialogue with studio practice and imagination at a time when the new medium’s possibilities remained open.
Understanding the work
Observe the transitions in light and the arrangement of groups. Then compare a composed scene with an isolated study of gesture or expression.
Key works and series
The Two Ways of Life; studies of expression; staged portraits.
Sources & further exploration
A journey through images.
6 worksClick an image to enlarge it. Captions, collections and reuse conditions appear below each work. Captions describe the photographs; the source records retain catalogue titles and provide context.
Oscar Gustave Rejlander · 1857
twowaysoflife_bw.jpg (JPG; 206 kB). blueredporter.blox.pl. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved on 2026-10-28.
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Oscar Gustave Rejlander · circa 1871
The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. John van Wyhe. Retrieved on 8 December 2013.
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Oscar Gustave Rejlander · 1863
This image comes from the Google-hosted LIFE Photo Archive where it is available under the filename 67933df915a33f1f. This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See the copyright section in the template documentation for more information.
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Oscar Gustave Rejlander · circa 1860
http://www.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/photos/Rejlander/MissMander.jpg&imgrefurl=http://russellstutely.com/seminar-hosting/oscar-rejlander-the-two-paths-of-life%26page%3D2&usg=__MAAZnTFxmySXHEBVjNfTmQ4hB2I=&h=400&w=252&sz=16&hl=nl&start=23&sig2=HekrqZ-H-3XxVGK7We3leQ&zoom=1&tbnid=FhigxBrazSBgJM:&tbnh=139&tbnw=75&ei=pending&prev=/search%3Fq%3DOscar%2BGustave%2BRejlander%26hl%3Dnl%26sa%3DG%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D595%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch0%2C372&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=822&vpy=173&dur=266&hovh=283&hovw=178&tx=97&ty=139&oei=zr6oTa7cK8ir8AOg6uCYCQ&page=2&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:23&biw=1276&bih=595
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Creator:Oscar Gustav Rejlander · 1850s
This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy
CC0 · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Creator:Oscar Gustav Rejlander · 1857
This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy
CC0 · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Works in collections.
1 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
