Essay: Forbes’ Collage Practice

Madison Clyburn has written an essay, which you can read here, entitled “Forbes’ Collage Practice: Techniques and Materials.” The essay traces the origins of mixed media paper based art, which was not called collage until the 20th century. It contextualizes Forbes’ collages, which reflect the 18th-19th-century interest in amateur natural history. His works, often shared with family members, were lap-sized and intended for private enjoyment rather than publication. The essay discusses the techniques, methods, and materials used by contemporaries of Forbes, explaining the most likely ways in which Forbes created his collages.