Hannah Maynard in a tableau vivant c.1893–97

Hannah Maynard in a tableau vivant is one of the most discussed and reproduced photographs made by Maynard. A testament to her knowledge of photographic techniques—as well as her ability to poke fun at herself and at photography in general—this work, inspired by the form of tableau vivant, is an example of how Maynard performed for the camera as a type of amusement.

To produce the image, it is likely that Maynard used two separate techniques together: multiple exposure and composite photography. The two Hannahs seated at the table were done by covering different parts of the camera lens during the exposure. This enabled Maynard to photograph herself sitting first in one chair with only half of her large 10 by 8 inch (25.4 x 20.3 cm) glass plate negative exposed. She then changed the position of the lens covering so that the other half was exposed and the first was covered before sitting in the second chair. The third Hannah clumsily spilling tea on the head of the Hannah seated on the right would have been added to the image through montage. Shot separately, it would have been combined with the main image and then rephotographed onto a new glass plate negative, resulting in a final negative that appears seamless and untouched.

What was Maynard’s motivation to produce this work? The time-consuming and involved process was an opportunity for the photographer to experiment with precise methods of exposure and printing. Using herself and oftentimes her family as subjects freed Maynard from having to produce images suited to the tastes and schedules of her sitters. It also allowed for her to take chances in testing out new techniques she discovered in photography periodicals such as the St. Louis and Canadian Photographer and through her correspondence with the community of photographers, both professional and amateur, whom these magazines brought together.

Fun and humour are found throughout Maynard’s life and works, such as in the staged Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard, c.1874–1910, in which she and Richard appear dressed as farmers. With hoe and rake in hand, the pair are posed in a mock hay field, against a backdrop of a quaint cottage. Maynard’s private photo albums are filled with such humorous images alongside photographs of family gatherings, festivities, travel, and leisure activities. This joy is found in the clever and funny details of her works: tea spilling onto her own head in this composite photo, but also babies in clamshells, faces in flowers, and mischief in her tableaux vivants are all examples. For all her precision in photographic technique and her savvy as a businesswoman, she didn’t take herself too seriously. Photography was expressive, and Maynard saw in it not just a commodity or a trade, but a conduit for her joy and playfulness, her true self.