Evening star., 1897-03-09
COLOR IN PHOTOGRAPHY.
NJ. Chassngne Describes the Process
of His Succesxful Experiments.


of His Successful ExDertments.
London Letter to the Chicago Times Herald
Yesterday morning at the Society of Arts
Sir Henry Trueman Wood was good enough
to show and explain to me the results of
some most interesting experiments in chro-
matte photography made by II. Villedier
Chassagne of Paris In recent years there
has beer, much doubt if the early expecta-
ton of reproducing coiors by photography
would ever be realized. The impostures
that have been attempted by persons who
cunningly applied colOrs to photographs
ratur lilly gave rise TO a very decided skep-
ticism touching alleged inventions and dis
coveries of color reproducing processes. and
even in this instances, though he is morally
certain that 70 sort of deception has been
practiced, Sir Henry reserves his scientific
Judgment as to the substantial merits of
the discovery. He las several beautiful
photographs and a transparency in which
the hues of foliage and the variations of
color in flower and garment and ornament
distinctly defined. and yet with a deli
cacy OF gradation and tone that seem to
preclude the possibility of their having been
laid on by hand. These colors successfully
resist microscopic scrutiny into their sup
posed artifice. to such an extent indeed,
that the more minutely and critically they
are examined the more completely they lift
themselves above suspicion.
Though at first glance these photographs
appear very like ordinarily colored pictures,
it is presently noted that there Is an entire
absence of brilliant tones; there are no
vivid greens, glowing reds, 10 intense
blues, all the tones being more or less sGb-
dued. This was pointed out particularly III
the floor rugs, which. instead Of showing
the rich oriental positivism of their proper
colors, were softsned into neutral tones.
Without being an irrefutable evidence OF
the honesty of NJ. Chassagne, it gees far to
4 Of tic loir 61
his photographs are legitimately produced.
A colorist using brush to secure natural
effects would most probably have applied
the colOrs as he saw them in the op1ect
photographed. Sir Henry, who has gone
studiously into the matter with M. Chas-
sagne. though without having been put In
possession of the inventors secret, which
is being carefully guarded. gives very
lucid explanation of the process. l repeat
it, much in his own words: A negative is
taken on a gelatine plate. which has been
treated with a solution Of cer-ain salts. the
negative being otherwise prepared and De
veioped in the ordinary way. A positive Is
printed from this on sensitized paper pre-
viousiy treated with the unknown solution
and shows no trace OF color IL Is tnen
washed over with three colorad solutions,
blue, green and red, the positive taking
up in succession the appropriate colors In
| the appropriate parts. the combinations OF
| course giving all the required varieties Oh
tints. the trees taking on the various gra-
X
flowers showing their proper coiors, thousn n
| not in a vivid degree. Sir Henry said: Last
week NJ Chassagne demonstrated ms pro-
| cess in the laboratory Of Kings college IN
| the presence of Professor Thomson OF the
| Chemical Society, Herbert Jackson cf
Kings College, Captain Abney. the great
| est living authority on Photographic sub
| iects and myself. The light was extreme
| Iy bad for the day was foggy, ana our
pictures were inferior; still. when treated
| in the way I have described, they showed
| color with perfect accuracy and quite SUI
| 6cient distinctness to test the process sat
isfactorily.
! lone Of the test pictures was OF a buncn
| of flowers in a colored vase. and anotner
| was of an Indian brass pot. and the results
| in both cases were astonishing Inere IS q
| good deal that Is new, even mysterious.
about the scheme. Nothing we know ABOUT
| the action of light justifes us In believing
that it can affect the components OF
| Photographic film in such fashion as to give
/ them a capacity Of selective absorption'
| that is to saw the power to take up spe-
cific coiors from mixtures OF various dyes.
| And If this Is difficult to accept. Still more
| difficult is 1t to believe that this power can
be transmitted through monochrome neg
| lures in view and no disproof of the inven-
tors claim, one is forced to admit the pos
! sibility" Though not u man easily moVeo
| to enthusiasm and rather disposed to iook
| askance at novelties, Sir Henry seems 10 pe
| pretty we'll assured in his own opinion that
M Chassagne Is about to revolution1ze
| photography and establish a formidable
| rival to art in its humber sphere. When
| the inventor has secured full legal pro
| lection OF his rights in the discovery the
| reriment with the now unknown quantity
| but not until he Is fortified with patents
will the sagacious Frenchman impart ms
| secret to the curious.