Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Pierre Rossier

Pierre Rossier
Self-nomination. Recent research has revealed much new information about this previously little-known but significant photographer who was the first to produce commercial photographs of China, Japan, the Philippines and Siam (Thailand). He also trained many of the first generation of Japanese photographers, thereby helping to kick-start the history of photography in Japan. Rossier's story is interesting and the article contains nearly all of what is known about him, and I believe the article would make a good Featured Article. Pinkville 02:57, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support. The article seems to meet all the criteria. -- Hoary 03:53, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Comment please fix references at the end of sentences. The superscript should follow the period.[1] -- Samir धर्म  03:56, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Comment: Some kind person appears to have already acted on this suggestion. -- Hoary 06:18, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
 * You're welcome. I've been testing an automated tool to fix the refs in accord with WP:FN. Gimmetrow 00:35, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support this is good stuff! Well written -- Samir धर्म  17:54, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Thanks! Pinkville 18:57, 9 October 2006 (UTC)


 * Object . Even the first line does not conform to WP:MOS. Red links should be eliminated. -- Ghirla -трёп-  13:01, 11 October 2006 (UTC)
 * I suppose you mean the first line of the text. What you see there depends on the size of your browser window, etc.; I see (after markup stripping) Pierre Joseph Rossier (born 16 July 1829 - died between 1883 and 1898) was a pioneering.... and I don't know what's wrong with that. And either the string "red" doesn't appear in WP:MOS or something's wrong with my browser's search function. Where are the beefs? -- Hoary 13:29, 11 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Assuming the objection to the first line is based on the uncommon dates format for Rossier, these are the most accurate dates available and of far more use than any alternative I can think of (e.g. 16 July 1829 - death unknown, et al). I can't see anything that goes against the Manual of Style, though, can you be more specific?. As for red links, Wikipedia has relatively few articles dealing with 19th century history in Asia (in contrast to articles on the Final Fantasy universe, for example), and one possible benefit of FA status for this or any other article in this field is that it may encourage other editors to turn those red links blue. Also, between now and some future date when this article might find its way on to the Main Page, at least some of those red links will turn blue anyway (as part of an ongoing personal and small group project). Pinkville 14:08, 11 October 2006 (UTC)
 * I changed the first line per WP:DASH and revoked my vote. I don't know whether there is any specific guideline (WP:CONTEXT?), but red links look slovenly to me. -- Ghirla -трёп-  07:25, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Um, well [cough], I wouldn't rush to disagree, but I'm a little surprised that you of all people would say that.... Hoary 09:45, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
 * And what is wrong with me? -- Ghirla -трёп-  12:28, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Erm, nothing, nothing, but by your own choice your own link is a bit reddish . -- Hoary 12:43, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Nope, your comment would be valid for User:Blnguyen rather than me. These are different shades of red, you know. -- Ghirla -трёп-  16:16, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Now all the red-links are blue... Pinkville 02:39, 14 October 2006 (UTC)


 * nice photos in the article; two wishes: a reference to where would be many more of them; a photo of the photographer to start off the article. Hmains 01:03, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
 * I have the same wishes, unfortunately there is only one source of Rossier images on the Internet: Terry Bennett's excellent site - Old Japan (from which these were taken - there are only two or three more Rossier photos on the site). Bennett has a new book coming out this fall with much material on Rossier, so there may be more images available in the not-too distant future. As far as I know there are no known images of Rossier himself. Pinkville 01:31, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support Hmains 01:57, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support. Wonderful read, I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Can&#39;t sleep, clown will eat me 03:06, 28 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support. Nice concise well written article. To the point and well referenced. Giano 08:43, 29 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support. Really interesting article that chugs along in a nice style. --Mcginnly | Natter 02:30, 30 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Support. We need more FAs on art topics, and this one is really good, to me because of the subject. The article looks a little lean right now, so don't let what looks like a successful FAC keep you from expanding and adding more text. I would like to see Stereoscope and Stereoscopy linked and more discussion of early photography. DVD+ R/W 20:04, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Thanks. "Stereoscope" is linked through the term "stereographs", though perhaps more could be said on the subject in this article. As for early photography... I'll see what can be reasonably added in the context of Rossier/China/Japan. Pinkville 21:22, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes, there it is. But still, please expand some before it is on the main page. For some reason I want to read about the relevant technical photographic history, but there could be other ways to expand it. Odd that there aren't any in other language links. I ran check usage on the images and found nothing. It'll be translated eventually I'm sure and I'd also like to see the zh: and ja: versions. DVD+ R/W 21:42, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure I understand you. The vast majority of the information in this article has only come to light in the past 2 or 3 years and nothing longer than a few pages has been published on Rossier, so this and the Bennett online article are the two most comprehensive and accessible sources on the photographer. There are some brief online references to Rossier in French and Italian, but that's about it. And there is material in Japanese which has yet to be translated into English. The only confirmed Rossier images available online are those on Bennett's site and one thumbnail on a Swiss museum website. I uploaded the images in this article myself, so they're only recent additions to the Commons. But if you're referring to a lack of articles on early photographic techniques and technology, then that's also not surprising because there are only a handful of Wikipedia editors who have touched the subject. Most photographic technical subjects that have been covered in WP tend to concern current or recent photography and often deal with camera brand names, etc. Please set me straight if I've misunderstood your comment. :~) Pinkville 03:36, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I was just trying to say that I wanted to read more about it, that's all. DVD+ R/W 05:37, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Well, a couple of us are very slowly filling in some of the gaps in Japanese photography. I'm particularly interested in early photography in Asia and related issues (like hand-colouring). So by and by... Thanks for your comments. Pinkville 15:36, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I can't comment on zh:WP but as for ja:WP, photography -- even photography in Japan or by Japanese people -- is only sketchily represented. A lot of the articles that do exist on Japanese photographers are little more than entries for the tersest and driest kind of traditional biographical dictionary ("born there and then, graduated from this univ, won that prize"; that's it). Not that I have any right to complain, as some articles I've written here are just as bad. (Semi-relevantly, here's a surprise.) -- Hoary 06:31, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
 * The Hurley article is a surprise. I have his English article on a to do list (at least to add some info). Pinkville 15:39, 1 November 2006 (UTC)