Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-12
COLOR IN PHOTOGRAPHY.
VI. Cbnssngne Describes HIS
full Experiments.

Uondon Letter in Chicago 1lihes- i,'.'1 -,
Yesterday morning at the Soc'oS
Arts Sir Henry Trueman Wood was soou
enough TO show and exp.ain TO me 'n0
results of some most interesting e1pe.
ments In chromatic Photography "a. 20
NJ. Viledier Chassagne, OF f"''S' -. q,
cent years there has been much uo" 'o'ors
the early expectation Of reproducing 49, -
by photography would ever DC .,e,,,,od
The impostures that have Deeh ~,
by persons who cunningly applied coioia
70 nhotoqranhs naturally gave rise 10
very decided skepticism touching anese"
inventions and discoveries OF color re-
producing processes. and even IN TINS ~
stance. though he Is morally certain tha'
no sort Of deception has been prac'iceu,
Sir Henry reserves his scientihc Juusiho"'
as TO the substantial merits OF the u,o
covery. He has several beautiIul pho."
graphs and a transparency III "nioh ~
hues OF foliage and the variations Oh Coioa
i'm flower and garment and ornament are
distinctly defined. and yet with dellcacy
of graduation and tone that seem 10 pre-
clude the possibility Of their having pee"
laid on by hand. These colors success
fully resist microscopic scrutiny INTO 'he"
supposed artifce, 20 such an extent III
deed. that the more minutely and critical-
~ tneN are examiner, INC iiiDt'
they lift themselves above suspicion
Though at first glance, these photo
graphs appear very like ordinarily color
ed pictures. IL is presently noted that
there IS an entire absence Of brilliant
tones: there are no vivid greens, no glow
ing reds no intense blues all the tones
being more or less subdued. This was
pointed out particularly in the floor rugs
which instead Of showing the rich
Oriental positivism of their proper coIors,
were softened into neutral tones. without
being an irrefutable evidence OF the
honesty of NJ. Chassagne. 1t goes far 10
establish the genuineness OF ms claiih
that his photographs are legitimately pro-
duced A colorist using brush TO secure
natural effects would most probably nave
applied the colors as he saw them IN
the object photographed. Sir Henry. VINO
has gone studiousy into the matter win
NJ. Chassagne, though without having
been put i'm possession of the inventors
secret, which is being carefully guarded
gives a very lucid explanation OF the
process / repeat 1t, much In ms own
words A negative is taken on a gelatlhe
plate. which has been treated with
solution Of certain salts, the negative be-
ing otherwise prepared and developed in
the ordinary way. \ positive is printed
from this on sensitized paper pre-
viously treated with the unknown solution,
and shows no trace OF color. 1t Is then
washed over with three colored solutlohs'
blue green, and red, the positive taxing
up in succession the appropriate colors IN
the appropriate parts, the combinations OF
course giving all the required varieties OF
tints, the trees taking on the various gra-
dations of green, the sky-blue etc, the
flowers showing their proper cOlors,
though not I'm a vivid degree. Sir Henry
said: Last week ". Chassagne demon
strated his process in the laboratory OF
Kings College in the presence Of Profess
sor Thomson of the Chemical Society;
Herbert Jackson, of Kings College; Cap
tain ADney. the greatest living authority
on Photographic subjects, and myself Inc
light was extremely bad, for the day was
foggy. and our pictures were inferior; stu,
when treated in the way have described,
they showed color with perfect accuracy,
and quite sufficient dstinctness to test the
process satisfactorily.
zone of the test pictures was Of
bunch of flowers in a colored vase, and
another was OF an Indian brass pot, and
the results I'm both cases were astonish-
ing. There is a good deal that Is new,
even mysterious. about the scheme. No
thing we know about the action Of light
iustines US in believing that it can affect
the components of a Photographic film
In such fashion as TO give them capa-
city Of selective absorption-that is TO
say. the power 10 take up specific colors
from mixtures OF various dyes. And. II
this is difficult TO accept, still more diff
fcult is il TO believe that this power can
be transmitted through a monochrome
negative to a positive. Still, with these
pictures I'm view, and no disproof Of the
inventors claim, one is forced to admit
the possibility" Though not a man
easily moved 10 enthusiasm and rather
disposed to look askarce at novelties,
Sir Henry seems to be pretty well as
sured In his own opinion that NJ. Chas-
sagne is about 10 revolutionize photo
graphy. and establish a formidable rival
TO art in its humber sphere. When the
inventor has secured full legal protection
of his rights in the discovery, the scien-
tific world may have a chance TO expert
ment with the unknown quantity but not
until he is fortified with patents will the
sagacious Frenchman impart his secret
TO the curious.