Physical description

Photograph, albumen print from wet collodion negative, stamped on mount 'Bisson frères' and showing a view of Mont Blanc.

Place of Origin

France (made)

Date

ca. 1861-1862 (made)

Artist/maker

Bisson Frères (photographers)

Materials and Techniques

Albumen print from wet collodion negative, painted with a wash of Indian ink and bathed in chloride of gold

Marks and inscriptions

'Bisson frères'
stamped on mount

Object history note

This photograph is part of a set collected by Canon Wallace of Bristol in the 1870's and 1880's, and presented to the museum in 1918 by Colonel Willoughby Wallace, his brother.

Historical context note

Louis Auguste Bisson (1814-1876) was trained as an architect, his brother Auguste-Rosalie Bisson was an amateur heraldic painter (the profession of their father) before they began their photographic partnership in 1840. A.-R. Bisson was the first photographer to ascend Mont Blanc. His views of 1861 and 1862 were greatly admired.

Descriptive line

Photograph (albumen print), showing Mont Blanc, by Bisson Frères, France, ca. 1861-1862.

Labels and date

'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900'

Louis Auguste Bisson (1814-1876) was trained as an architect, his brother Auguste-Rosalie Bisson was an amateur heraldic painter (the profession of their father) before they began their photographic partnership in 1840. A.-R. Bisson was the first photographer to ascend Mont Blanc. His views of 1861 and 1862 were greatly admired. The sky tone was achieved by painting on the negative with a wash of Indian ink; the print's purple cast is due to the bath of chloride of gold used to enhance the tonal values and permanence of the print. [1987-2006]

Materials

Photographic paper; Albumen; India ink; Collodion

Techniques

Photography; Wash technique; Wet collodion process

Categories

Photographs

Collection

Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection