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The Moon
Warren de la Rue, born 1815 - died 1889 - Enlarge image
The Moon
- Object:
Photograph
- Place of origin:
Great Britain, UK (The first stereograph of the moon was made by de la Rue at the Cranford Observatory in Middlesex., made)
- Date:
ca. 1858 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Warren de la Rue, born 1815 - died 1889 (photographers)
- Materials and Techniques:
Stereograph glass positive
- Museum number:
E.131-1993
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, room 512M, case ABOVE MX7, shelf X773, box F
Warren De La Rue was among the earliest astronomer-photographers and worked at Kew Observatory. The attraction between astronomy and photography was natural, since both are concerned with the reflectance or absorption of light upon surfaces. Each image of this stereo pair consists of the full moon in its entirety. De La Rue took them at different geographical locations and different times of year. When seen together through a stereo viewer, the two images give an illusion of depth. Even when not seen in a stereo viewer the format of the glass transparency emphasises the luminosity of the moon.
