Writings on Photography from Nineteenth-century Newspapers, Magazines, Diaries, and Artists' Notebooks
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from "New Discovery in the Fine Arts," The New Yorker, April 13, 1839.
Where are we going? Who can tell? The phantasmagoria of inventions passes rapidly before us - are we to see them no more? - are they to be obliterated? Is the hand of man to be altogether stayed in his work? - the wit active - the fingers idle? Wonderful wonder of wonders!! Vanish aqua-tints and mezzotints - as chimneys that consume their own smoke, devour yourselves. Steel engravers, copper engravers, and etchers, drink up your aquafortis and die! There is an end of your black art - 'Othello's occupation is no more.' The real black art of true magic arises and cries avaunt. All nature shall paint herself - fields, rivers, trees, houses, plains, mountains, cities, shall all paint themselves at a bidding, and at a few moment's notice. Towns will no longer have any representatives but themselves. Invention says it. It has found out the one thing new under the sun; that by virtue of the sun's patent, all nature, animate and inanimate, shall be henceforth its own painter, engraver, printer, and publisher. Here is a revolution in art . . .
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from "New Discovery in the Fine Arts. The Daguerreotype," The New Yorker, April 20, 1839.
French Discovery-Pencil of Nature-Who has not admired the splendid and wonderful representations in the camera obscura?-images so clear, so full of life, so perfectly representing every object in nature. These living pictures, by traversing lens and mirrors, are thrown down with double beauty on the table of the camera obscura by the radiant finger of light. The new art has been discovered to fix these wonderful images, which have hitherto past away volatile-evanescent as a dream-to stop them, at our will, on a substance finely sensible to the immediate action of light, and render them permanent before our eyes, in traces represented by tints in perfect harmony on each point with different degrees of intensity. We must not, however, believe, as has been erroneously reported to the public with respect to these (Parisian) experiments, that the proper colors of objects are represented in these images by colors: they are only represented, with extreme truth, by light, and in every gradation of shade; as an oil painting is given by a perfect engraving, consisting of black lines; or, perhaps, more akin to a design made with mathematical accuracy, and in aqua-tint; for there are no crossings of lines in the designs by the pencil of nature: red, blue, yellow, green, &c., are rendered by combinations of light and shade by demi-tints, more or less clear or obscure, according to the quantity of light in each color. But, in these copies, the delicacy of the design-the purity of the forms-the truth and harmony of the tone-the aerial perspective-the high finish of the details, are all expressed with the highest perfection....
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from "The Daguerreotype," The Knickerbocker, December 1839.
...We have little room to speak of the 'interior' views. We can only say, in passing, that they are perfect. Busts, statues, curtains, pictures, are copied to the very life; and portraits are included, without the possibility of an incorrect likeness. Indeed, the Daguerreotype will never do for portrait painting. Its pictures are quite too natural, to please any other than very beautiful sitters...
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from The Diary of Philip Hone, December 4, 1839.
December 4 ...The manner of producing [daguerreotypes] constitutes one of the wonders of modern times, and, like other miracles, one may almost be excused for disbelieving it without seeing the very process by which it is created. It appears to me a confusion of the very elements of nature. It is nothing less than the palpable effect of light occasioning in a reproduction of sensible objects. The reflection of surrounding images created by a camera, obscured upon a plate of copper, plated with silver, and prepared with some chemical substances, is not only distinctly delineated, but left upon the plate so prepared, and there remains forever. Every object, however minute, is a perfect transcript of the thing itself; the hair of the human head, the gravel on the roadside, the texture of a silk curtain, or the shadow of the smaller leaf reflected upon the wall, are all imprinted as carefully as nature or art has created them in the objects transferred; and those things which are invisible to the naked eye are rendered apparent by the help of a magnifying glass....
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from "Professor Draper on the Process of Daguerreotype and its application to taking Portraits from Life," Philosophical Magazine, September 1840.
In the first experiments which I made for obtaining portraits from the life, the face of the sitter was dusted with a white powder, under an idea that otherwise no impression could be obtained. A very few trials showed the error of this; for even when the sun was only dimly shining, there was no difficulty in delineating the features....
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from "Daguerreotyping in New York," Daguerreian Journal, November 1850.
There is probably no city in the United States, where the Daguerrian Art is more highly appreciated, and successfully practiced than in New York. . . .We find 71 rooms in this city, devoted solely to this art; independent of the many stores and manufactories engaged in making and selling the materials. In these rooms there are in all 127 operators, including the proprietors and persons engaged in the Galleries, also 11 ladies and 46 boys. We find that the amount of rent paid by these artists to be $25,550 per year. Let us allow $10 per week for the 127 operators; this certainly is a very low estimate, we find the amount $1,270 per week, or calculating 52 weeks per year, the result is $66,040. For the 11 ladies engaged, we estimate $5 per week, making $2,860 per year. The boys 46, at $1 per week, $2,392. Thus we find the total amount necessary to defray the above expenses to be $96,842, per annum. It is seen by the above, that we make no estimate of the materials used (such as plates, cases, and chemicals,) by these artists in taking likenesses, and we forbear to make any estimate of this last, as many artists are now taking pictures at such reduced rates. . . .
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from "Photography, the Handmaid of Art," by J. K. Fisher, Photographic Art-Journal, January 1851.
The first notion of an uninstructed person, when he sees a work of art, is, that the chief merit and difficulty of it lies in the close resemblance to the object represented. He is astonished, after long acquaintance, to learn that there is far more difficulty in the mere arrangement of the whole, than in the execution of the parts. Such persons, when the Daguerreotype appeared, at once supposed that the perfection of representation would be attained by scientific and mechanical means, and the artist's skill would be dispensed with. . . .
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from "The True Artist," Daguerreian Journal, August 1851.
Finally, when the plate has been prepared, it is in readiness for the artist, who finishes the work. His skill, or want of skill, and judgement is to be seen in the picture. The composition, arrangement, &c., afford him but little room for imagination, but demands the exercise of his talent and good judgement in producing not only a satisfactory likeness, but a picture, which may be looked upon with pleasure as a work of Art. . . .
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from "Important Experiment. Daguerreotype of the Sun," Daguerreian Journal, August 15, 1851.
One of the most interesting and valuable experiments was performed in Cambridge on the 28th ult., at the time of the eclipse of the sun. W. C. Bond, Director of the Cambridge Observatory, R. T. Paine and Mr. Tuttle, Assistants, Mr. S. C. Walker, of the Coast Survey, and J. A. Whipple, Daguerreotypist of Boston, were present at the Observatory. While the other gentlemen were engaged with different instruments, Mr. Whipple was prepared with a number of Daguerreotype plates to secure, if possible, the appearance of the sun at different times, as it was more or less obscured from view. We take the liberty of making a few extracts from a letter to us, written by Mr. Whipple. . . .
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from "Microscopic Daguerreotypes," by John A. Whipple, Photographic Art-Journal, October 1852.
. . . In 1846, it was suggested to me by Rev. S. Adams, of this city, that it might be possible to daguerreotype the image of the microscope; he was in possession of a fine "Oberhouser," which he loaned me for the trial. By removing the lens from the camera, and substituting the microscope in its place, and adjusting the object properly for seeing with the naked eye, a clear but very faint image was found projected upon the ground glass; the light being so weak that it was hardly possible to focus it. But doing that as well as I could, and submitting a plate to its action, giving an exposure of one and a half hours, then mercurializing; great was my astonishment and delight, when upon lifting the plate to take a peep, I saw a clear and distinct image there, thus demonstrating the possibility of indelibly fixing those hidden forms of nature now beheld by our unaided vision. The object tried was the mandible of a small spider, so small that it could only be discerned as a mere speck by the naked eye; it was magnified on the plate to cover three-fourths of an inch surface, and every part was rendered in bold relief, showing its little comb-like appurtenances to perfection, equally as well as represented to the eye in the instrument, the only defect in this first proof was a small light spot exactly in the middle of the plate, which we found was caused by a prism used in the microscope to reflect the image at right angles. On removing that, the next proof was without a blemish. . . .
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from "The Various Uses of the Daguerrean Art," by Marcus Root, Photographic Art-Journal, December 1852.
New as the discovery of the daguerrean art is, and far as it is from having reached its destined perfection, the benefits are various and important, which it has already conferred on society. Nor, as the art receives that enlightened study and assiduous culture, which for immemorial ages have been devoted to its sister arts, can it be doubted, that these benefits will be vastly augmented. And as I would if possible, promote juster views than now prevail, whether in the public at large or among heliographic artists themselves, touching the legitimate claims of this art to consideration, I would crave my readers attention to some obvious suggestions as to its various uses . . .
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from "Photography in the United States," Photographic Art-Journal, June 1853.
The art of photography-more popularly known as Daguerreotyping-is brought to so great a perfection in this country, and prosecuted on a scale of such magnitude, and the different manufactures connected with it are of such importance, especially in this city, that we propose giving a few details respecting them. . . .
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from "Qualifications of a First-Class Daguerreotypist," by Marcus Root, Photographic Art-Journal, August 1853.
. . . In the daguerrean room, as everywhere else, may be found two classes of men, the artists and the mere mechanics. In all or most respects, save two or three, the latter may equal or even surpass the former. The solar pencil will, of course, transcribe exactly the subject submitted to in the one case, as in the other, and in the getting up of the plates and other processes whether manual or chemical, the mechanic may transcend the artist. But when we come to expression; to those items, which give the semblance of life, instead of a mere shadow of life; and especially to those particulars which must need be observed in order, that the subject may look his best and highest; here at once flashes out the difference - an immeasurable difference - between these two classes of men. Between their productions the antagonism is as great, as between the sound and its echo, between a living man and the ghost of a man....
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from "The Dignity of our Art," by Gabriel Harrison, Photographic Art-Journal, April 1854.
Every art and every science have had their votaries, consecrating themselves to the great worth, and the peculiar beauties existing in them. Art has had its Fulton, Science its Newton, and Daguerreotyping its Daguerre, and with the latter, the morning of the new art dawned with a light as pure, as brilliant and far penetrating into the chaste and beautiful as ever radiated on earth from the old arts or sciences, and it is undeniable that it is intimately connected both with pure art and science, so much so, that it seems to set a seal upon the age of its discovery; as the sun itself marks the heavens, telling us in language strong as its own brightness, I am Lord of the day, and yet how few there are either in or out of the profession, who properly estimate its great importance. In fact, there are those connected with the art, who refuse to read a journal devoted to the science of the art, on the ground, that, because they understand the simple manipulation of daguerreotyping, there is nothing more for them to learn-good fortune save the profession from any more such philosophical gentry, for, in my opinion, they have not enough of the intellectual to discern the difference between a hawk and a hand-saw-that it requires the taste of an artist to be an operator of any merit, is conclusive from the decision, that all it creates is precisely that which every true artist desires to accomplish, the nearest resemblance to nature, or most faithful representation of the object to be portrayed. The painter draws with his pencil, while the daguerrean draws with the camera, and each instrument in unartistic hands will undoubtedly produce abortions; for if the painter is without the knowledge of the general rules of perspective we may expect faulty productions with their distorted proportions and bad lines, no matter how good the coloring may be or how effective the arrangement of lights and shades, and it will be disagreeable to look upon. The same rule holds good in daguerreotyping, as the correctness and pleasing lines depends entirely on the proper position of the camera towards the object to be taken, and it is from this fact, that we have so many complaints of daguerreotypes not looking like the person for whom they are taken. Operators seem to forget the immense distance to which the figure is thrown by means of the construction of the lens, also of the curvature of the glasses and the reflection of the image on a flat surface-the ultimatum looked for in a daguerreotype of a person is a strong likeness, and the proper position of the camera for such a result is to have the centre of the lens precisely opposite to the centre of the face at the same time taking care to have the position of the head as near plumb as possible, and if the glasses are purely achromatic the proper degree of reach and field, the likeness must be perfect. For instance, place the centre of the lens as high as the top of the head, and so as to get the face to come into its proper place on the plate by pitching the tube downward; and, behold, the imperfect likeness that will be produced; the top side of the lens beyond the centre being nearest to the forehead, that part of the face will undoubtedly be the largest and most disproportional to the nose, mouth, and chin. In taking a full length figure, to obtain good drawings or good proportions of the whole, the same rule must be observed, by placing the tube opposite to the centre of the body; but, in such a case, it would not be prudent, for in so doing, we get a full view of the nostrils, which is not a very pleasant feature; therefore it would not be advisable to sacrifice a beauty in the face to any other part of the body, for it is with this as it is with many other things, "of the two evils choose the least." Beside inaccuracy of drawing to those who have pictures taken for the sake of the likeness, is far less observant in the body than it would be in the face.
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from "Suggestions to Ladies Who Sit for Daguerreotypes," by Albert S. Southworth, Lady's Almanac, 1854 and 1855.
Expression is everything in a daguerreotype. All else,-the hair-jewelry-lace-work-drapery or dress, and attitude, are only aids to expression. It must at least be comfortable, and ought to be amiable. It ought also to be sensible, spirited and dignified, and usually with care and patience may be so. A little practice, with a friend to prompt, before a mirror, will save time, and very likely be the means of much increasing the satisfaction of those for whom the likeness is made. . . .
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from "Portraiture," by Rembrandt Peale, The Crayon, 1857.
"One reason," says Mrs. Jamieson, "why the daguerreotype portraits are in general so unsatisfactory, may be traced to a natural law, though I have not heard it suggested. It is this: every object which we behold we do not see with the eyes only, but with the soul; and this is especially true of the human countenance, which, in so far as it is the expression of mind, we see through the medium of our own individual mind. Thus a portrait is satisfactory in so far as the painter has sympathy with his subject; and delightful to us in proportion as the resemblance reflected through his sympathies, is in accordance with our own. Now, in the daguerreotype, there is no such medium, and the face comes before us without passing through the human mind and brain to our apprehension. This may be the reason why a daguerreotype, however beautiful and accurate, is seldom satisfactory or agreeable; and that while we acknowledge its truth as a fact, it always leaves something for the sympathies to desire." . . .
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from "An Address to the National Photographic Association," by Albert S. Southworth, October 1871.
. . . . The idea of photographing disputed or questioned handwriting as an aid to its identification and authorship was brought up by myself, in 1856 or 1857, in the case of an anonymous communication to the Ledger newspaper, shown to me by Mr. J. M. Barnard, the proprietor. Photographs soon came to be used in the courts of Massachusetts, by my introduction, upon questioned signatures and writings, for the purpose of enlarging and making plainer simulated writing of any kind, as well as genuine business papers, and of bringing into convenient juxtaposition the standards and the questioned. . . .
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from "An Address to the National Photographic Association," by Albert S. Southworth, Philadelphia Photographer, June 1872.
. . . There are two indispensable elements required by the artist, viz: light and vision. Light is an element of nature, existing without and independent of ourselves, free to the use of our natural and rational faculties. Whilst vision is a part or power of, and belongs exclusively to the individual. Having the perfect sense of vision, the beautiful colors of the external world and the infinite variety of the forms of natural objects, are presented to us through this sense for contemplation and enjoyment.
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from "Comments at the National Photographic Association," by Albert S. Southworth, Philadelphia Photographer, September 1873.
Mr. President and gentlemen, you will excuse me for any remarks controversial in this matter. I had intended, before I came here, to make a few remarks upon lighting the face. I have arranged in my own mind a little of my habits and practice, and I will tell you what I do and what I should do in the first place. . . . .What is the philosophy of arranging a face under the light?
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from Albert S. Southworth, "The Use of the Camera," Philadelphia Photographer, September 1873.
. . .Now I have placed my camera out here. I will say to him, Mr. President, I have taught you this before, but I will have to say it again. . . . .Now there are some things I would like to have you not think of. . . . .You will please to look at that point if you want the picture to be looking at you, and I must make it so that it falls directly on that line on the edge of the tube or over it, and I want you to look as though you were looking ten miles out at sea. . . .
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from "Rambles Among the Studios of America," by John Werge, The Evolution of Photography, 1890.
. . . There was a "portrait factory" on Broadway, where likenesses were turned out as fast as coining, for the small charge of twenty-five cents a head. The arrangements for such rapid work were very complete. I had a dollar's worth of these "factory" portraits. At the desk I paid my money, and received four tickets, which entitled me to as many sittings when my turn came. I was shown into a waiting room crowded with people. The customers were seated on forms placed round the room, sidling their way to the entrance of the operating room, and answering the cry of "the next" in much the same manner that people do at our public baths. I being "the next," at last went into the operating room, where I found the operator stationed at the camera, which he never left all day long, except occasionally to adjust a stupid sitter. He told the next to "Sit down" and "Look thar," focussed, and, putting his hand into a hole in the wall which communicated with the "coating room," he found a dark slide ready filled with a sensitised plate, and putting it into the camera, "exposed," and saying "That will dew," took the dark slide out of the camera, and shoved it through another hole in the wall communicating with the mercury or developing room. This was repeated as many times as I wanted sittings, which he knew by the number of tickets I had given to a boy in the room, whose duty it was to look out for "the next," and collect the tickets. . . .
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from J. J. Hawes, "Stray Leaves from the Diary of the Oldest Professional Photographer in the World," Photo-Era, February 1906.
Four years ago, on August 7, 1901, there died at Crawford, N.H., whither he had gone for rest, Josiah Johnson Hawes of Boston, the oldest living professional photographer in the world. He was ninety-four years old, and did his own posing, developing, and printing until the last. . . . We have recently been favored with some Mss. copy from an autobiography which we reproduce here. . . .
For an extensive on-line archive of 19th-century texts on photography, see The Daguerreian Society (http://www.daguerre.org)
See also The Digital Daguerreian Archive (http://www.jump.net/~gwalker/digidag/).
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