Season's greetings to all! Two items today: one short, the other long.
Also, don't forget to drop by my DagNews holiday greeting (and gift!)
at:
http://www.poweramp.net/~garyewer/holiday.html
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On this day (December 24) in the year 1847, the following appeared in
"The Daily Chronotype" (Boston, Vol. 4, No. 568, page 3):
"Do you take Dogerrytikes? Well, take my likeness, and make me look
as han'some as you can, without any snuff on my nose and all the teeth
in, and my yuller bonnet on, which is at home becoz it's a rainy day.
Please make my hair look as nateral and shiney as you can, without a
symptom of mutton taller. And how much will it come to?"
"Three dollars, ma'am."
"Monsus heavy! Why, massy on me, I thought it would be wuth about
twenty-five cents!"
"It would not be worth any more than that, ma'am. Good morning."
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The following article appeared in the December 1893 issue of the "St.
Louis and Canadian Photographer" (Vol. 11, No. 12, page 534-8):
The Daguerreotype.
------
By Abraham Bogardus.
------
ITS DISCOVERY.
The daguerreotype on the silver plate is no longer in demand. It was
the father of all the processes now used to produce pictures by the
action of light on chemicals. While not entirely a "lost art" yet, its
progeny are so much better adapted to the requirements of the age that
it is almost forgotten. Four hundred years ago Porta invented the
camera obscura. He had observed with great interest the representation
of objects on the wall of a darkened room. His knowledge of optics
induced him to employ a lens. By this he was able to reflect every
object within its scope perfect in form, color and proportion. This
ingenious apparatus, while entertaining and pleasing, in the course of
time proved also suggestive.
It had long been known that a solution of the salts of silver would
become black if exposed to the light. The first recorded accounts of
this change or color produced by light are attributed to the Swedish
chemist Scheele, who lived in 1760. He demonstrated the fact. We have
no account of his ever having used it for making pictures.
For a century and a half learned men had by accident caught glimpses
of its possibilities, and in the course of time a common application of
this means was to place engravings over paper coated with the solution
of nitrate of silver, and by exposing it to the sun an inverse
representation of the engraving was produced, but these copies were
evanescent; there was no known way of rendering them permanent. After a
few hours, or as soon as brought to the light, the light continued its
action, and the impression was lost in uniform blackness. During the
latter part of the last, and the early part of the present century
chemists and men of science made many experiments in this direction, but
were not successful in obtaining anything of value.
During the last century James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine,
made some experiments. Mathew Bolton, of Soho, near Birmingham,
England, also worked in the same direction. In 1802 Mr. Thomas
Wedgewood, the eminent porcelain manufacturer, in conjunction with Sir
Humphrey Davy, made a series of experiments with silver salts on paper
and white leather with the view of copying drawings on glass. About
1818 Charles, a French chemist, announced his ability to make "black
profiles" by the action of light, but his productions were not popular,
and are entirely lost sight of.
As early as 1814 M. Niepce, of Chalons, produced impressions on
various chemical substances. In 1827 he visited England, but his
results were not recognized by the Royal Society, and in 1828 he
returned to Chalons and continued his experiments. He named his
productions "Heliographs, a method of fixing the image of objects by the
action of light." He died 1833.
In 1824 Louis Jacques Daguerre, while interested in the figures of his
camera obscura, thought it would be possible to catch and hold those
figures. With his knowledge of chemistry, and without connivance or
even acquaintance with Niepce, he commenced a series of experiments in
the same field. In 1826 he was introduced to Niepce, and in 1829 they
agreed to combine in prosecuting their researches. This continued until
the death of Niepce. Six years after the death of Niepce Daguerre
announced his success. This was January, 1839.
In the early part of the same year, 1839, H. Fox Talbot, an
Englishman, startled the scientific world by announcing that he had
discovered a method of representing objects by the agency of light.
Talbot was the first to publish the discovery. He had years of
scientific research in pursuit of such a desirable result. On the 31st
of January, 1839, he sent to the Royal Society of England a statement of
his success in photogenic drawing, or "A process by which natural
objects can by the action of light on chemicals delineate themselves
without the aid of the artist's pencil." Three weeks later he made a
further communication, stating the means used, and giving the method of
preparing the paper to receive the image. At the same time stating the
means of fixing the impression.
Daguerre announced his discovery the same month, yet it was some
months later before he made his process public. It can not be decided
as to whom the priority of invention belongs. The first announcement
was made by the Englishman. The discovery seems to have been nearly
simultaneous. In England by Talbot, in France by Daguerre. Talbot
commenced his experiments in 1834. He knew nothing of those being
prosecuted by Daguerre in France, and Daguerre was unaware that the
Englishman was investigating the same subject. Daguerre was now
assisted by the son of Niepce, his former co-laborer in his experiments.
The production of the sun picture on paper was by Talbot. The
employment of the silver plate was by Daguerre.
The inventions are distinct, both accomplished the result by the use
of different substances for the reception of the impression; yet both
using light to produce chemical action.
Daguerre never succeeded in taking portraits by his process, as the
exposure required from fifteen to thirty minutes in the sunshine; he
used it on inanimate objects. In America a Mr. Walcott claims to have
made the first portrait by the daguerreotype, using Daguerre's process.
Many give the credit to Prof. John W. Draper, while Mr. Joseph Dixon,
by letters and other evidence, proves that he made a portrait of Mrs.
Dixon three months earlier than either of them. Mrs. Dixon sat in full
sunshine fifteen minutes with powdered face.
The following is an extract from a letter by Professor S. F. B. Morse
to the writer in 1871. He says:
"In 1838 I visited Europe with my telegraphic invention, and early in
the spring of 1839, in Paris, I formed the acquaintance of Daguerre,
whose discovery of fixing the image of the camera obscura, in connection
with M. Niepce, was creating a great sensation in the scientific world.
A proposition at that time was before the French Chamber of Deputies to
grant Daguerre and Niepce a pension on condition that their process was
given to the public. Daguerre had freely shown to high officials the
results of his process, but, by the advice of the distinguished Arago,
who had charge of the pension proposals in the Chambers, he had
abstained from any publicity of his formula until his pension should be
secured. At this time my telegraph was exciting in the French capital a
similar sensation. I had made arrangements to leave Paris for home in
March. One morning, in conversation with our eminent and worthy Consul,
Robert Walsh, Esq., I lamented the necessity of leaving Paris without
seeing these photographic results. He at once entered into my feelings
and said, 'I think you will find no difficulty in obtaining a sight of
them; drop a note to Daguerre and invite him to see your telegraph, and
I have no doubt he will return the compliment by inviting you to see his
results.' The plan was successful. M. Daguerre invited me to see his
results at his diorama where he had his laboratory, and the day after
accepted my invitation to witness the operation of my telegraph. And it
is a noticeable incident that during the two hours in which he was with
me his diorama and the beautiful results I had seen the day before were
consumed by fire.
"In my interview with him I requested him as soon as his pension bill
was passed, and the publication of his process was made, to send me a
copy of his work. This he courteously promised to do. And accordingly,
in the summer of 1839. I received from him probably the first copy that
came to America. From this copy, in which of course were the necessary
drawings, I had constructed the first daguerreotype apparatus made in
the United States. My first effort with it was on a small plate of
silvered copper, about the size of a playing card, procured from a
hardware store, but, defective as it was, I obtained a good
representation of the Church of the Messiah in Broadway,--taken from a
back window in the New York University. This was before the
construction of the New York Hotel. This I believe to have been the
first photograph ever taken in America.
"I practised it many months, taking pupils, many of whom at this day
are the most successful photographers. I made arrangements to
experiment with my eminent friend and colleague, Prof. John W. Draper,
building for the purpose a photographic studio upon the top of the
University. Here, I believe, were made the first successful attempts by
Dr. Draper in taking portraits with the eyes open, I having previously
succeeded in taking portraits with the eyes shut.
"In reply to a question which I put to M. Daguerre, Cannot you apply
this to portraiture? he gave it as his opinion that it would be
impracticable, as, in obtaining his results on still objects the time
necessary rendered it impossible for any one to preserve an immovable
position so long."
ITS ADVENT AND PRACTICE IN NEW YORK.
When the discovery of Daguerre was published it created a great
excitement. Scientific men as well as the general public were
interested. The newspapers of that date eagerly sought and published
every item of news in regard to it. The master minds of the period were
astonished at its results and its apparent capabilities. An English
journal says: "Daguerre's ingenious discovery continues to excite very
great curiosity and admiration. It is affirmed that the Emperor of
Russia has offered him 500,000 francs for his secret, and he has
declined the munificent offer. Sir John Herschel has turned his
attention to the subject, and has already obtained pictures from the
light of Daniell's great galvanic battery. Sir David Brewster, too, has
commenced an investigation into the matter." In America a new field for
investigation opened. College professors, chemists, scientific men, in
fact all kinds of men commenced experimenting with the silver plate and
a camera. The camera in many instances being "home made," and often
constructed from a cigar box. When the experimenter succeeded in getting
a visible impression it was carried in his pocket and shown to all
friends as the result of his skill in working the new wonder.
In March, 1840, Messrs. Wolcott & Johnson opened a gallery in New
York. and announced their readiness to execute daguerreotype portraits
for the public. This was the first daguerreotype gallery in the world.
The great interest of the public was shown by the way crowds besieged
the door of a gallery where a small frame containing half a dozen
pictures was exhibited. Everybody seemed anxious to get a sight of the
mysterious pictures. The remarks they made were very amusing. One
said, "the sun burns it on the plate if you sit in front of the
machine." Another, "If you look at the glass steadily you grin yourself
on the plate." Another settles it all by saying, "The plate is a
looking glass and your shadow sticks on the plate if you keep still long
enough." These and other remarks showed how little the general public
knew about the difficult, delicate, mystic daguerreotype. The dark room
was also a matter beyond the comprehension of the public. We were often
asked "What we did in there?" Many supposed we did some hocus-pocus or
sleight-of hand work; used some mystic words, or performed an
incantation to conjure up the picture. There was great anxiety to get a
peep into that closet, where the supposed mystery was performed, little
aware that the least gleam of light would fog the picture or destroy it
entirely.
With Yankee promptness galleries were soon opened in different parts
of the city. Professor Morse made pictures for the public in the
building on the northeast corner of Beekman and Nasssu streets. He did
not continue to practice it long as his telegraph invention absorbed his
whole time and attention. He continued to take great interest in the
photograph as long as he lived. He often called and remained for hours
examining each and every new phase of the process. One day he was
present when a picture of a lady was made so perfect as to show the
eyelashes; he quietly studied it for awhile and then used the well
remembered first despatch across the ocean through his telegraph wire,
"What hath God wrought."
Improvement came fast and the daguerreotype became popular, every
family had its collection and an evening visit would bring them all to
your notice for admiration and criticism. Brady's famous gallery on the
southwest corner of Broadway and Fulton street is well remembered.
Gurney, on Broadway, facing John street. Plumb, at Murray street, and
many others were all crowded with customers every clear day.
The time of sitting (by successful experiments) had been reduced from
three and four minutes to half a minute and soon after to ten or twelve
seconds. All successful operators were kept busy from morning until
sunset; sitters were often obliged to wait for hours for an opportunity
to sit.
For several years all pictures were made by side windows, but
skylights were afterwards built as they furnished more light and gave
better effects. One of the first skylights in New York was built on top
of the granite building, corner of Broadway and Chambers street. It was
made to revolve on a track to enable the operator to follow the sun in
its travels. Elevators were not in use then, and the aspirant for a
picture must climb half a dozen flights of stairs to be immortalized by
a daguerreotype.
The American daguerreotypists soon beat the world in execution. At the
great World's Fair held in London, 1865, the New York daguerreotypists
carried off the gold medal. And at that date the gold medal meant a
great deal
The introduction of the photograph on paper about 1860 entirely
superseded the silver picture, and they were no longer in demand. The
writer still considers the well executed daguerreotype the best picture
ever made with a camera. It was made on a plate with silver surface;
the plate must be perfectly clean and buffed to extreme sensitiveness.
It was then coated with the vapors of iodine and bromine. After being
exposed in the camera, the image was developed over the fumes of hot
mercury. A solution of hyposulphite of soda removed the chemicals, the
picture remaining. It was then coated with a solution of chloride of
gold, and it will not fade. It does become tarnished and to all
appearance gone, but the tarnish can be removed by a person
understanding the proper mode of procedure, and the picture is still
there. They can be restored to their original perfection and will last
for hundreds of years. I have scores of them made in 1846 and the
following years, just as perfect as they were the day they came from the
camera. An incident well remembered was when a lady bought a case said
to contain a picture; it was completely covered by a film and nothing
could be seen on the plate. She had been told that I could restore it.
In a few minutes I showed it, to her just as perfect as it ever was.
She fainted on seeing it, as it was her husband who had been dead over
twenty years; she had not expected to see his picture again; now she saw
it just as he was in life.
It will not do to attempt to restore a picture by rubbing it; one or
two rubs will entirely obliterate it, and then it will never be
restored.
It required long practice to be able to manage the delicate chemical
vapors used in making the picture. If the day was very warm they
"flashed" and were unmanageable. If cold, they would not work at all;
during a damp atmosphere the plate would not receive a sensitive
surface. We were often obliged to ask sitters to come another day when
perhaps the "chemicals would work better. Every change of atmosphere
would make a difference in the tone of the picture.
In the course of time, by careful attention and continued practice, we
were able to produce the desired effects with almost absolute certainty.
For every sitting we must give attention to the state of the atmosphere,
the thermometer's record, the strength of the light, the hour of the day
and passing clouds. While the sitter thought we should give all
attention to his necktie, or the proper disposing of her ribbons, we
were obliged to give almost entire attention to these more important
matters, if we would produce a satisfactory impression on the plate.
The apparatus used in making the daguerreotype have in most instances
been destroyed. Yet it is a gratification to know that Columbia College
has secured and will preserve a complete set of everything used in
making them. --Christian Intelligencer.
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Posted for your enjoyment. Gary W. Ewer
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12-24-96 |
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