The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-23

fHQfoGRAPHY. - 1ootnsohS UdlsHy.
The art of photography has b IN
mailing wonderful strides during tfe
pan few years and has reached devel;
Of ment that was not dreamed Of by the
8blic nor by the artists themselves a
ew years ago. In fact there are few if
hny Of the useful inventions that have
achieved 30 many improvements and
been 80 rapidly carried forward toward
perfection as this has been since the
comparatively recent date of NJ.
Dagu.rre's discovery. Comparatively
young men can remember the time
when the "Daguerreorype was
the only kind OF "sun picture"
made in this country. The dis
covery of collodion and its uses and
the production of what was called "am-
brotypes" came next, and after that
the preparation OF albumenized paper
and the printing of pictures by the
agency Of sunlight thereon marked the
introduction of the now commonly
known photographs"
Tothose who wish to note the pro-
gress OF this beautiful art and learn the
perfection to which it has been brought
in recent times, visit to Robinson 8
gallery on Main street will prove both
entertaining and instructive. His at
tention will first be attracted by num-
Der of life size portraits displayed in the
show windows and in the Office, whose
fidelity to nature and whose marvellous
beauty OF execution and finish
elicit many expressions of admi-
ration from passers by. Portraits
OF Mr.. Jacob Warden, of Mr.. Swartz,
of Mrs. Ed. MeDdel and OF Mrs. Eli
wood Hughes recall very strikingly to
mem ory the we'll known features OF
these friends who have gone before.
In the collection are also portraits Of
many citizens and ladies still living
and whose eyes seem to speak from the
canvass with the same intelligence
and beauty with which they greet us
upon the street. These pictures are
ph otographs improved and perfected
by penciling with crayou. Mr.. Bersch,
OF Baltimore, is the artist who has fin-
isbed the portraits now at Robinson 9
and in each one OF them he has mani
tested an extraordinary skill.
In securing satisfactory Photographic,
whether of life size or in the most d.
minutive style, much depends upon the
position OF the person and the proper
adjustment Of light and shade. The
regulation OF these details requires an
artists judgment and an artists eye,
and in these matters Mr.. Stoddart, the
operator at Robinson's, has few supe-
riors in the country. He arranges the
position OF the sitter, the background
and accessories, and the direction and
quantity OF light, with view to the best
effect, and the pictures produced bear
evidence of his unerring judgment and
good taste in these respects.
Al this gallery, every negative after
it comes from the camera is skillfully
retouched by careful artists, all Its
roughnesses are made smooth, it is
toned down here and lightened there,
all detects in the film are repaired, and
when it is ready to be printed from it lie
vastly better for the purpose than when
first produced. This is one OF the inn
portant improvements in the art which
have been introduced during the past
few years. 1t is still comparatively
Lew in this section of the country, and
while it involves a great
amount OF delicate labor IN
the production Of perfect negative 1t
produces pictures go much superior to
and more beautiful than any that are
possible by the old process that no per-
son is now willing to purchase pictures
that have not been improved in this
way.
Another new process which is prac-
ticed at Robinson's, and which gives
10 the photograph a peculiar softness
and polish, is that OF Furnishing, as Il
is called. The picture, after it is props
erly mounted 90 card board, is subject
ed to q heavy pressure between roller
and polished steel plate which is heat
ed by means OF a spirit lamp.
1t is a sort Of calenderiog
operation from which the picture comes
with a smooth and glossy face resemb-
ling the finest varuisher's work and
showing something Of that peculiar
softness OF outline that is shown in the
most admired style OF photographs on
porcelain. No one who has not seen
and compared the pictures which have
been FURNISHED with those that have
not been subjected to this operation,
can form any adequate idea of the vast
improvement that 10 effected in this
way.
Roblnson's Gallery is well supplied
with all OF the most recent and most
annroved apparatus, and is kent