Calotype camera, owned by William Henry Fox Talbot
Camera
1839-1848 (made)
1839-1848 (made)
Place of origin |
Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making.
Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography.
Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography.
Object details
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Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Title | Calotype camera, owned by William Henry Fox Talbot (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | |
Brief description | Calotype camera belonging to William Henry Fox Talbot, made between 1839 and 1848. Wooden construction with a metal plate and lens housing on the front panel with a hole above and to the side of the lens for viewing the negative during focusing. The single uncorrected lens slides in a sleeve for focusing, and has a fixed aperture of about f/3. The camera has a removable wooden back, with adjustable tabs to allow it to be attached to the camera body. The camera would take paper negatives of approximately 4 3/8 inch square. |
Physical description | Calotype camera, wooden construction with a metal lens housing on the front panel with a hole above and to the side of the lens for viewing the negative during focusing. The single uncorrected lens slides in a sleeve for focusing, and has a fixed aperture of about f/3. With a removable wooden back, with adjustable tabs to allow it to be attached to the camera body. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label | Photography Centre 2018-20:
William Henry Fox Talbot (1800–77)
Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making.
Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography.
You can see how calotypes are made in the ‘Dark Tent’ film room in Room 99.
The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Fund |
Credit line | The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Art Fund. |
Association | |
Summary | Talbot was the British inventor of photography. In 1834 he discovered how to make and fix images through the action of light and chemistry on paper. These ‘negatives’ could be used to make multiple prints. This revolutionised image making. Talbot excelled in many fields, including mathematics, optics, botany and chemistry. However, it was his inability to master drawing outdoors that prompted him to experiment with capturing images inside a camera. He published his photographic discoveries and ideas, illustrated with original photographs, in his book The Pencil of Nature. Talbot patented his negative photographic process, which he called the ‘calotype’, in 1841. Later, he pioneered photographic engraving – printing photographs in ink. His processes became the basis of virtually all subsequent photography. |
Other numbers |
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Collection | |
Accession number | RPS.3047-2017 |
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Record created | December 22, 2017 |
Record URL |
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