24 chapters
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24 chapters
Brief Historical Sketch of the Invention of the Art
Brief Historical Sketch of the Invention of the Art
And why should it not be possible? I asked myself. The picture, divested of the ideas which accompany it, and considered only in its ultimate nature, is but a succession or variety of stronger lights thrown upon one part of the paper, and of deeper shadows on another. Now Light, where it exists, can exert an action, and, in certain circumstances, does exert one sufficient to cause changes in material bodies. Suppose, then, such an action could be exerted on the paper; and suppose the paper could
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PLATE I. PART OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD.
PLATE I. PART OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD.
This view was taken from one of the upper windows of the Hotel de Douvres, situated at the corner of the Rue de la Paix. The spectator is looking to the North-east. The time is the afternoon. The sun is just quitting the range of buildings adorned with columns: its façade is already in the shade, but a single shutter standing open projects far enough forward to catch a gleam of sunshine. The weather is hot and dusty, and they have just been watering the road, which has produced two broad bands o
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PLATE II. VIEW OF THE BOULEVARDS AT PARIS.
PLATE II. VIEW OF THE BOULEVARDS AT PARIS.
From the specimen here given it is sufficiently manifest, that the whole cabinet of a Virtuoso and collector of old China might be depicted on paper in little more time than it would take him to make a written inventory describing it in the usual way. The more strange and fantastic the forms of his old teapots, the more advantage in having their pictures given instead of their descriptions. And should a thief afterwards purloin the treasures—if the mute testimony of the picture were to be produc
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PLATE III. ARTICLES OF CHINA.
PLATE III. ARTICLES OF CHINA.
The photogenic images of glass articles impress the sensitive paper with a very peculiar touch, which is quite different from that of the China in Plate III. And it may be remarked that white china and glass do not succeed well when represented together, because the picture of the china, from its superior brightness, is completed before that of the glass is well begun. But coloured china may be introduced along with glass in the same picture, provided the colour is not a pure blue: since blue ob
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PLATE IV. ARTICLES OF GLASS.
PLATE IV. ARTICLES OF GLASS.
Statues, busts, and other specimens of sculpture, are generally well represented by the Photographic Art; and also very rapidly, in consequence of their whiteness. These delineations are susceptible of an almost unlimited variety: since in the first place, a statue may be placed in any position with regard to the sun, either directly opposite to it, or at any angle: the directness or obliquity of the illumination causing of course an immense difference in the effect. And when a choice has been m
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PLATE V. BUST OF PATROCLUS.
PLATE V. BUST OF PATROCLUS.
The chief object of the present work is to place on record some of the early beginnings of a new art, before the period, which we trust is approaching, of its being brought to maturity by the aid of British talent. This is one of the trifling efforts of its infancy, which some partial friends have been kind enough to commend. We have sufficient authority in the Dutch school of art, for taking as subjects of representation scenes of daily and familiar occurrence. A painter's eye will often be arr
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PLATE VI. THE OPEN DOOR.
PLATE VI. THE OPEN DOOR.
Hitherto we have presented to the reader the representations of distant objects, obtained by the use of a Camera Obscura. But the present plate represents an object of its natural size. And this is effected by quite a different and much simpler process, as follows. A leaf of a plant, or any similar object which is thin and delicate, is laid flat upon a sheet of prepared paper which is moderately sensitive. It is then covered with a glass, which is pressed down tight upon it by means of screws. T
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PLATE VII. LEAF OF A PLANT.
PLATE VII. LEAF OF A PLANT.
This done, the paper is dried, and then it is laid upon a second sheet of sensitive paper, being pressed into close contact with it, and placed in the sunshine: this second process is evidently only a repetition of the first. When, finished, the second paper is found to have received an image of a contrary kind to the first; the ground being white, and the image upon it dark. Among the many novel ideas which the discovery of Photography has suggested, is the following rather curious experiment o
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PLATE VIII. A SCENE IN A LIBRARY.
PLATE VIII. A SCENE IN A LIBRARY.
For, to use a metaphor we have already employed, the eye of the camera would see plainly where the human eye would find nothing but darkness. Alas! that this speculation is somewhat too refined to be introduced with effect into a modern novel or romance; for what a dénouement we should have, if we could suppose the secrets of the darkened chamber to be revealed by the testimony of the imprinted paper. Taken from a black-letter volume in the Author's library, containing the statutes of Richard th
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PLATE IX. FAC-SIMILE OF AN OLD PRINTED PAGE.
PLATE IX. FAC-SIMILE OF AN OLD PRINTED PAGE.
One advantage of the discovery of the Photographic Art will be, that it will enable us to introduce into our pictures a multitude of minute details which add to the truth and reality of the representation, but which no artist would take the trouble to copy faithfully from nature. Contenting himself with a general effect, he would probably deem it beneath his genius to copy every accident of light and shade; nor could he do so indeed, without a disproportionate expenditure of time and trouble, wh
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PLATE X. THE HAYSTACK.
PLATE X. THE HAYSTACK.
We have here the copy of a Parisian caricature, which is probably well known to many of my readers. All kinds of engravings may be copied by photographic means; and this application of the art is a very important one, not only as producing in general nearly fac-simile copies, but because it enables us at pleasure to alter the scale, and to make the copies as much larger or smaller than the originals as we may desire. The old method of altering the size of a design by means of a pantagraph or som
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PLATE XI. COPY OF A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT.
PLATE XI. COPY OF A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT.
This view is taken from the southern bank of the river Loire, which passes Orleans in a noble stream. A city rich in historical recollections, but at present chiefly interesting from its fine Cathedral; of which I hope to give a representation in a subsequent plate of this work....
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PLATE XII. THE BRIDGE OF ORLEANS.
PLATE XII. THE BRIDGE OF ORLEANS.
In the first plate of this work I have represented an angle of this building. Here we have a view of the Gateway and central portion of the College. It was taken from a window on the opposite side of the High Street. In examining photographic pictures of a certain degree of perfection, the use of a large lens is recommended, such as elderly persons frequently employ in reading. This magnifies the objects two or three times, and often discloses a multitude of minute details, which were previously
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PLATE XIII. QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD. ENTRANCE GATEWAY.
PLATE XIII. QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD. ENTRANCE GATEWAY.
Portraits of living persons and groups of figures form one of the most attractive subjects of photography, and I hope to present some of them to the Reader in the progress of the present work. When the sun shines, small portraits can be obtained by my process in one or two seconds, but large portraits require a somewhat longer time. When the weather is dark and cloudy, a corresponding allowance is necessary, and a greater demand is made upon the patience of the sitter. Groups of figures take no
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PLATE XIV. THE LADDER.
PLATE XIV. THE LADDER.
One of a series of views representing the Author's country seat in Wiltshire. It is a religious structure of great antiquity, erected early in the thirteenth century, many parts of which are still remaining in excellent preservation. This plate gives a distant view of the Abbey, which is seen reflected in the waters of the river Avon. The spectator is looking to the North West. The tower which occupies the South-eastern comer of the huilding is believed to be of Queen Elizabeth's time, but the l
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PLATE XV. LACOCK ABBEY IN WILTSHIRE.
PLATE XV. LACOCK ABBEY IN WILTSHIRE.
It was in the summer of 1835 that these curious self-representations were first obtained. Their size was very small: indeed, they were but miniatures, though very distinct: and the shortest time of making them was nine or ten minutes. The Abbey was founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, widow of William Longspee, son of King Henry II. and Fair Rosamond. This event took place in the year of our Lord 1229, in the reign of Henry III. She was elected to be the first abbess, and ruled for many years
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PLATE XVI. CLOISTERS OF LACOCK ABBEY.
PLATE XVI. CLOISTERS OF LACOCK ABBEY.
The cloisters, however, in their present state, are believed to be of the time of Henry VI. They range round three sides of a quadrangle, and are the most perfect which remain in any private residence in England. By moonlight, especially, their effect is very picturesque and solemn. Here, I presume, the holy sisterhood often paced in silent meditation; though, in truth, they have left but few records to posterity to tell us how they lived and died. The “liber de Lacock” is supposed to have peris
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PLATE XVII. BUST OF PATROCLUS.
PLATE XVII. BUST OF PATROCLUS.
The principal gate of Christchurch College in the University of Oxford. On the right of the picture are seen the buildings of Pembroke College in shade. Those who have visited Oxford and Cambridge in vacation time in the summer must have been struck with the silence and tranquillity which pervade those venerable abodes of learning. Those ancient courts and quadrangles and cloisters look so beautiful so tranquil and so solemn at the close of a summer's evening, that the spectator almost thinks he
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PLATE XVIII. GATE OF CHRISTCHURCH.
PLATE XVIII. GATE OF CHRISTCHURCH.
The upper part of the tower is believed to be of Queen Elizabeth's time, but the lower part is probably coeval with the first foundation of the abbey, in the reign of Henry III. The tower contains three apartments, one in each story. In the central one, which is used as a muniment room, there is preserved an invaluable curiosity, an original copy of the Magna Charta of King Henry III. It appears that a copy of this Great Charter was sent to the sheriffs of all the counties in England. The illust
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PLATE XIX. THE TOWER OF LACOCK ABBEY
PLATE XIX. THE TOWER OF LACOCK ABBEY
From the parapet wall of this building, three centuries ago, Olive Sherington, the heiress of Lacock, threw herself into the arms of her lover, a gallant gentleman of Worcestershire, John Talbot, a kinsman of the Earl of Shrewsbury. He was felled to the earth by the blow, and for a time lay lifeless, while the lady only wounded or broke her finger. Upon this, Sir Henry Sherington, her father, relented, and shortly after consented to their marriage, giving as a reason “the step which his daughter
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PLATE XX. LACE
PLATE XX. LACE
This is exemplified by the lace depicted in this plate; each copy of it being an original or negative image: that is to say, directly taken from the lace itself. Now, if instead of copying the lace we were to copy one of these negative images of it, the result would be a positive image of the lace: that is to say, the lace would be represented black upon a white ground. But in this secondary or positive image the representation of the small delicate threads which compose the lace would not be qu
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PLATE XXI. THE MARTYRS' MONUMENT
PLATE XXI. THE MARTYRS' MONUMENT
The stately edifices of the British Metropolis too frequently assume from the influence of our smoky atmosphere such a swarthy hue as wholly to obliterate the natural appearance of the stone of which they are constructed. This sooty covering destroys all harmony of colour, and leaves only the grandeur of form and proportions. This picture of Westminster Abbey is an instance of it; the faqade of the building being strongly and somewhat capriciously darkened by the atmospheric influence....
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PLATE XXII. WESTMINSTER ABBEY
PLATE XXII. WESTMINSTER ABBEY
This Plate is intended to show another important application of the photographic art. Fac-similes can be made from original sketches of the old masters, and thus they may be preserved from loss, and multiplied to any extent. This sketch of Hagar, by Francesco Mola, has been selected as a specimen. It is taken from a fac-simile executed at Munich. The photographic copying process here offers no difficulty, being done of the natural size, by the method of superposition....
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PLATE XXIII. HAGAR IN THE DESERT.
PLATE XXIII. HAGAR IN THE DESERT.
The number of copies which can be taken from a single original photographic picture, appears to be almost unlimited, provided that every portion of iodine has been removed from the picture before the copies are made. For if any of it is left, the picture will not bear repeated copying, but gradually fades away. This arises from the chemical fact, that solar light and a minute portion of iodine, acting together (though neither of them separately), are able to decompose the oxide of silver, and to
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