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Un Clair de Lune

Photograph
1827 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Niépce, Joseph Nicéphore (photographer)
Place of origin
France (photographed)

Photograph by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, 'Un Clair de Lune' (Moonlight), heliograph, 1827.

Object details

Categories
Photographs
The Royal Photographic Society
Object type
Photograph
Titles
  • Un Clair de Lune (assigned by artist)
  • Moonlight (alternative title)
Materials and techniques
This photograph is made with the resin of oil of lavender on a pewter plate. Niépce experimented with different resins including the resin produced by heating oil of lavender. New analysis reveals that the image layer of the photograph consists of resinous material which is chemically very similar to heated oil of lavender. The absence of any particles or traces of bitumen also makes it difficult to describe the plate as a typical Heliograph. This is a unique photograph on a pewter plate. As far as we know, this is the only plate in existence made in this way.
<Metal and Metal Products>
Photography
Brief description
Photograph by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, 'Un Clair de Lune' (Moonlight), heliograph, 1827.
Dimensions
  • Frame height: 273mm
  • Frame width: 240mm
  • Frame depth: 31mm
  • Plate left side height: 182mm
  • Plate right side height: 180mm
  • Plate top and bottom weight: 139mm
Content description
This photograph shows the arches of a ruined abbey in the moonlight, and is taken from an engraving of an artwork by Louis Daguerre (1787-1851).
Production typeUnique
Gallery label
Cameraless Photography

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1765–1833)
‘Un Clair de Lune’ (Moonlight)
1827
Heliograph on pewter plate
22.3 x 25.2 cm (framed size)
Museum no. RPS.2-2017

This image is taken from an engraving of an artwork by painter, inventor and photographer Louis Daguerre (1787-1851). Daguerre had written to Niépce in 1826 after hearing about his heliograph experiments, eager to learn the techniques. They entered into business together in 1829. Niepce had experimented using a camera with his heliograph plates, but Daguerre perfected the techniques and the ‘daguerreotype’ – the first practicable photographic process – was announced to the world on 7 January 1839.

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.
Associated object
PROV.6150-2017 (RPS Group record)
Other numbers
  • XRG593 - RPS collection - V&A identifier
  • 2003-5001/2/22662 - Science Museum Group accession number
Collection
Department of Photography
Accession number
RPS.2-2017

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Record createdMarch 10, 2017
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1387304/un-clair-de-lune-photograph-niépce-joseph-nicéphore/
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