Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Obtaining Historical Illustrations
I've been working pretty intently the last couple of weeks on obtaining historical illustrations for my fourth book. A lot of material is available from the Civil War period, but not all of it is in the public domain. Material that is copyrighted or privately owned can't be used in a book without obtaining special permission and many times a cost to the writer.
How do I find material? I research photographs and prints on the Internet and in libraries. It is frustrating to find a great illustration and yet not be able to get permission to use it. Sometimes I just can't find a picture I'm looking for. For example, I've looked and looked for a photograph or lithograph of the Baltimore and Ohio train depot in Washington during the Civil War. Although I've seen a couple of pictures of the depot, I haven't been able to find a good one I can use.
Why do I bother? Some people say the past is unknowable, a foreign country. I believe, and my readers agree, that period pictures help to bring the past alive.
How do I find material? I research photographs and prints on the Internet and in libraries. It is frustrating to find a great illustration and yet not be able to get permission to use it. Sometimes I just can't find a picture I'm looking for. For example, I've looked and looked for a photograph or lithograph of the Baltimore and Ohio train depot in Washington during the Civil War. Although I've seen a couple of pictures of the depot, I haven't been able to find a good one I can use.
Why do I bother? Some people say the past is unknowable, a foreign country. I believe, and my readers agree, that period pictures help to bring the past alive.
