Hadrian's Villa, Smoke on Cellophane

Beginning in 1957, Sommer produced a body of abstract photographs that relate to his earlier black-ground drawings in pigmented glue begun in 1937. By squeezing and manipulating oil paint between small sheets of cellophane, Sommer created synthetic negatives, which were then enlarged. In 1961, he executed a series of Smoke on Cellophane prints, accomplished by transferring candle smoke deposited on glass to a 3 x 4 inch sheet of greased cellophane, then enlarging the negative.