Photograph thumbnail 1
Photograph thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Photograph

ca. 1840-1860 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The daguerreotype process was introduced to the public in 1839 by Frenchman Louis Daguerre, and was hugely popular as a medium for portraiture until the middle of the 1850s. To create a daguerreotype, a silver plated sheet was given a light sensitive surface coating of iodine vapour. After a long exposure in the camera, the image was developed over heated mercury and fixed in a common salt solution. The image lies on a mirror-like surface and is best seen from an angle to minimise reflections.

A stereograph is composed of two pictures mounted next to each other, viewed with a set of lenses known as a stereoscope. Taken around 7cm apart, roughly corresponding to the spacing of the eyes, the left picture represents what the left eye would see, and likewise for the right, so when observing the pictures through a stereoscopic viewer, the pair of photographs converge into a single three-dimensional image.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
daguerreotype, glass, copper, tinting, mounted
Brief description
Daguerreotype portrait of a woman standing in a living room, leaning against the fireplace, attributed to Antoine Claudet studio, probably England, c.1840-60
Physical description
Two daguerreotype photograph 's in one mount and one frame, of a woman standing in a living room leaning against the fire place. She is wearting a long dress and is surrounded by art obejcts such as paintings, busts, statues and furniture.
Dimensions
  • With of frame width: 175mm
Marks and inscriptions
'E. G. Wood, / Opticians &c. / 117, Cheapside, / London / 76' (Printed and hand written on sticker on back)
Production
Probably unique
Summary
The daguerreotype process was introduced to the public in 1839 by Frenchman Louis Daguerre, and was hugely popular as a medium for portraiture until the middle of the 1850s. To create a daguerreotype, a silver plated sheet was given a light sensitive surface coating of iodine vapour. After a long exposure in the camera, the image was developed over heated mercury and fixed in a common salt solution. The image lies on a mirror-like surface and is best seen from an angle to minimise reflections.

A stereograph is composed of two pictures mounted next to each other, viewed with a set of lenses known as a stereoscope. Taken around 7cm apart, roughly corresponding to the spacing of the eyes, the left picture represents what the left eye would see, and likewise for the right, so when observing the pictures through a stereoscopic viewer, the pair of photographs converge into a single three-dimensional image.
Collection
Accession number
E.1199-1992

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMarch 17, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest