About Silhouettes

A nearly lost art form from the 1700's -Hand-Cut Silhouettes- is now making a comeback in the 21st century! Started as a popular alternative to expensive commissioned oil portraits in the 1700's, the art of Silhouette cutting pre-dates photography by about 100 years, and is considered a precursor to the modern day portrait photograph. Done exclusively with scissors and without the aid of pen, ink or tracing, it became a popular way of capturing an individual's likeness, as well as a practical way of keeping family records.