Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09

Chicago, q. II. Hastings of Boston. J. NJ. Ap-
pieton OF Dayton and DIR. q. NJ Carlisle for
merry OF Providence, but now of Washington.
One OF the most interesting features of the
convention will be the exhibition of photo
graphs ana appliances in the halls Of the
museum Handsome prizes are offered for SUI
periority IN this exhibit, as follows:
The grand prize will be a group in bronze
entitled Nearing the Goal" value. S225.
Competitors for this award exhibit three
pam photographs illustrating Tennyson's
poem, "Enoch Arden
Class A beautiful silver plaque" mounted
In plush, representing Victory" for the best
exhibit OF genre photographs
Competitors Tor this class exhibit six photo
graphs; the subjects to be chosen by the pho
tographer.
Class Bone gold, one silver and one bronze
medal for the best collection OF portrait pho
geography, size l4xl7 inches or larger
Ciass C-One gold, one silver and one bronze
mccall Tor the best collection of portrait pho
Biography. size l1xl4 inches or smaller
Glass Done gold. one silver and one bronze
medal for the best collection of Iandscape nho-
tographs; one silver and one bronze medal for
the best collection of marine views; one silver
ana one bronze medal for the best collection of
architectural views.
Class E-One silver and one bronze medal
Tor the six most artistically retouched mega
yves, any size; prints made before and after
retouchlng to be exhibited with the negatives,
Glass F-One silver and one bronze medal for
the SIX best plain engagements, either in silver,
bromide, albumen, carbon or platinum: size
not less than 1Sx22 inches
Glass Gone silver medal for the best i'm
Provement In Photographic appliances intro
duced since the last convention.
Glass H-One gold, one silver and one bronze
medal for the best foreign exhibits of portrait
photography, framed or unframed. but deliy-
cred to the association free from all charges
diploma will be awarded for the most
tastefuly arranged exhibit.
The president will appoint a Judge in each
class the competitors choose another and those
two select third. with the exception Of class
ii, which will be appointed in full by the pres
ident. Each judge must examine exhibits sep
arately from the others, aud hand i'll a sealed
report OF his markings to the executive COM
mlttee who shall open them and determine the
winners
The points to be considered in the award of
the grand prize are: LIST. historic: I'd, origi-
nallty; Sd, composition; 4th. lighting; 9Th, tech
nique.
THE WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.
The Daguerre memorial to be unveiled Fri
day Is the second that has been erected in
commemoration of the Frenchmans gift to
science. The other is II bust that was erected
several years ago bv popular subscription at
Cormeilles, near Paris. the birth place of the
dlscoverer The advent of Louis jacques
Maude Daguerre took place in 1887, during a
period OF the greatest political excitement
amid which the boy was sadly neglected. He
showed an early taste for painting and solely
through his own efforts achieved while still a
youth II reputation as a skillful scene painter.
In 1872 he opened Il diorama in Paris for
winch he painted pictures on n col ,ssal scale.
In the sketches from nature which he made as
studies for these immense paintings g fire.
quently employed :the camera obscura, which
Was then very popular, especially among the
wealthy classes, who could afford to establish
this device on the hills belonging to their
country estate. 1t was probably the remark
able beauty and perfection of these camera
obscura pictures which caused the young scene
painter to attempt the discovery of some means
by which they could be permanently retained.
La6uerre was absolutely without scientific ed
ucatlon or proper training for such work but
his ambition seems to have been indomItable
He began his experiments about 1924 and
during the next two or three years he devoted
himself so absolutely to the work that his
friends began to fear for his health, and it is
said that his wife consulted a physician as to
her husbands sanity. Nothing could
tempt him from his experiments, nor would he
allow any one to share them with him
In 1926, through his friend Chevalier, Daguerre
heard OF that other experimentor who was pur-
SUING the same line of Investigation, and who
it is said, really did more for photography than
Daguerre himseE-Joseph Nicephore Niepce.
In 1929 partnership was established by which
the other all the secrSs of his investigation
and that each should share equally in the pro-
ceeds from their discoveries This partnership
continued until after the death of Nlepce
whose son lsidor took the place of his father
The publication OF the daguerreotype process
was made in 1889. Year after year the young
scene painter had been tOlling after his goal
He finally was led to his discovery by an accl-
dent. He knew that iodide of silver on a pol
ished copper plate was sensitive to light and
ln1lZnI ell Nlata
posed In the camera faint images of bright OBJ
Jects were impressed upon them in the course
of two or three hours, but these images would
gradually fade sway and could not be retained
by any means then known to investigators.
One day Daguerre removed from his camera
plate which, either from the shortness of ex-
posure to the light or the darkness OF the day
showed no sign of an image. He laid this
plate aside In q cupboard, intending to clean
| the surface and use it some time again. What
was his surprise OH taking out the same plate
the next morning to find upon its surface a dis
| tnct and perfect picture. Another plate was
quickly exposed for an equally short time in
the camera and again placed in the magic cup
board to remain over night, and on going to it
the second morning he discovered another
equally beautiful picture. The question now
was which of the numerous chemicals stored in
this cupboard produced the marvellous effect
He finally learned, by taking out one chemical
each day, that it was a dish of mercury whose
VdpOrb pTOuuCtu Tue magical result, and he at
| once proceeded to apply the discovery in q
practical way.
Daguerre's process was really discovered in
1885, and it was in that year that he tried to
organize a company to buy and work the new
method. The Partisan public, however, were
utterly incredulous. and the shares could not
be sold. In this extremity Daguerre showed
his specimens and explained his method, in
confidence, to the eminent French astronomer.
Arago, who showed the greatest enthusiasm
over the new process. AS man of worldwide
scientific reputation, his Endorsement of the
discovery at once established its worth and it
was an easy matter for him to obtain from the
French government the life pension which was
later awarded. Daguerre placed q written
description of bis process in the hands of
Arago in January, 1889, and at the same time
publicly exhibited specimens Of his work but
no details were revealed to tho general public
until the paper was read at meeting Of the
French Academy on August 10 of the same year.
The new process was called Daguerreotypy, and
the enthusiastic Frenchmen went into ecstasies
over it. Interested persons focked to Paris
from all over the world to learn the details of
the process, and in short time the making of
Daguerreotypes became profitable business
not only in France and on the continent, but
also in England and America.
THE SCULPTOR.
Jonathan Scott Hartley, the sculptor Of the
Daguerre memorial, was born in Albany, NY,
in l845 From his earliest childhood he showed
,cJ taste for drawing and
oAAMA he was for Q number of
years the assistant Of
Y t&N Mr.. Palmer, the we'll
EH4NO known aculptOr of AL