Daguerreotype
ca. 1850s (photographed)
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. The surface of daguerreotypes is delicate and easily damaged, so professionally finished images were presented in a protective case or frame.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Daguerreotype, glass, copper, tinted, gilt mount, leather and velvet case. |
Brief description | Daguerreotype photographic portrait of a young man, hand tinted, probably made in Britain, c.1850 |
Physical description | Cased photograph of a young man seated with his right arm resting on a table with hand-tinted details. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | 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. The surface of daguerreotypes is delicate and easily damaged, so professionally finished images were presented in a protective case or frame. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 335-1961 |
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Record created | May 28, 2004 |
Record URL |
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