A NEW OR AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRODUCING COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW OR AN IMPROVED
METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRODUCING COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS." A communication
from abroad by Johannes Carl Schuhmacher, Portrait Painter, of Blasewitz,
near Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Gerinan Empire.
Sealed the 28th August 1877, and dated the 2nd April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd April 1877.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middle-
sex. "A NEW OR AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRODUCING COLORED
PHOTOGRAPHS." A communication from abroad by Johannes Carl Schuhmacher,
Portrait Painter, of Blasewitz, near Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, German
Empire.
This Invention consists in a method or process, herein-after described, of pro-
ducing coloured photographs, to which end the photograph before being mounted is
made transparent by applying copal varnish on its reverse side; it is then, by
applying retouch varnish on the same side, made capable of taking oil colour,
which oil colour, when the photograph is viewed from the front, becomes perfectly
apparent, whilst the shadows and transitions or gradations from shade to light of
the photograph itself at the same time form the shadows and transitions or grada-
tions from shade to light of the coloured photograph.
Since the introduction of the art of photography it has been the aim of photo-
graphers to produce coloured impressions, to which end innumerable means and
manipulations have been resorted to. Nevertheless, until recently the coloured
photographs produced have not met the standard of higher artistic pretensions.
By the present Invention coloured photographs are produced in such manner as,
when taken direct from good original paintings, to satisfy the most exacting require-
ments in an artistic point of view.
The photographic picture, as such, remains perfectly intact, so that faults in form
and drawing will never occur, the colouring operator having merely to heed his
colour. Hence, and by the peculiar degree of softness given to the colours by the

page_text: photograph prepared as herein-after described, pictures of surprising effect will be
obtained with but little loss of time.
In describing the manipulation, herein-before referred to, for effecting the object
of the Invention, my foreign correspondent says:-"I soak the naked photograph
on its reverse side (back) with marketable (commercial) West Indian copal varnish,
which I previously warm up to 25° Reaumur, and which I dilute, in case of its
being too thick or clotted, with French turpentine, so that the fluid can then be
casily laid on by means of a brush. When this copal varnish, applied as described,
has become dry, I take common saleable French retouch varnish and cover the same
reverse side of the photograph with it, this laying on of retouch varnish being
necessary to enable the now transparent photograph to take the oil colour. When
this retouch varnish is dry, which takes but little time, the oil colour is laid on on
the same reverse side of the picture without shades, and in most cases it will suffice
to apply the oil colour in the tints of light.
The shades and passages (gradations) from shade to light are completely returned
(shown) by the photographic picture.
After the drying of the oil paint another layer of copal varnish of the same quality
as above is applied on to the same. When this varnish is also dry the photograph
is mounted on cartoon paper or white canvas by means of starch mixed with a littlo
glue and common Venetian turpentine.
I will here expressly remark that all the layers and colouring, as described, take
place on the reverse side (back) of the photograph.
The mounting on card paper or canvas being accomplished, I finally varnish the
front side of the photograph by means of copal varnish."
The picture thus obtained reproduces all the peculiarities of good old paintings
such as the marks of the brush of the artist, cracks in the varnish, and so on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
September 1877.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middle- 3
80X. "A NEW OR AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF PRODUCING COLORED
PHOTOGRAPHS." (A communication from abroad by Johannes Carl Schuhmacher,
Portrait Painter, of Blasewitz, near Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, German
Empire.)
This Invention consists in a method or process, herein-after described, of pro-
ducing colored photographs, to which end the photograph before being mounted is
made transparent by applying copal varnish on its reverse side; it is then, by
applying retouch varnish on the saine side, made capable of taking oil color, which
oil color, when the photograph is viewed from the front, becomes perfectly apparent,
whilst the shadows and transitions or gradations from shade to light of the photo-4
graph itself at the same time form the shadows and transitions or gradations from
shade to light of the colored photograph.
Since the introduction of the art of photography it has been the aim of photo-
graphers to produce colored impressions, to which end innumerable means and
manipulations have been resorted to. Nevertheless, until recently the colored
photographs produced have not met the standard of higher artistic pretensions.
By the present Invention colored photographs are produced in such manner as,
when taken direct from good original paintings, to satisfy the most exacting require-
ments in an artistic point of view.
The photographic picture, as such, remains perfectly intact, so that faults in form
and drawing will never occur, the coloring operator having merely to heed his
color. Hence, and by the peculiar degree of softness given to the colors by the
4

page_text: photograph prepared as herein-after described, pictures of surprising effect will be
obtained with but little loss of time.
In describing the manipulation, herein-before referred to, for effecting the object
of the Invention, my foreign correspondent says:-"I soak the naked photograph
on its reverse side (back) with marketable (commercial) West Indian copal varnish,
which I previously warm up to 25° Reaumur, and which I dilute, in case of its
being too thick or clotted, with French turpentine, so that the fluid can then be
easily laid on by means of a brush. When this copal varnish, applied as described,
has become dry, I take common salcable French retouch varnish and cover the same
reverse side of the photograph with it, this laying on of retouch varnish being
necessary to enable the now transparent photograph to take the oil color. When
this retouch varnish is dry, which takes but little time, the oil colour is laid on on
the same reverse side of the picture without shades, and in most cases it will suffice
to apply the oil color in the tints of light.
The shades and passages (gradations) from shade to light are completely returned
(shown) by the photographic picture.
After the drying of the oil paint another layer of copal varnish of the same quality
as above is applied on to the same. When this varnish is also dry the photograph
is mounted on cartoon paper or white canvas by means of starch mixed with a little
glue and common Venetian turpentine.
I will here expressly remark that all the layers and coloring, as described, take
place on the reverse side (back) of the photograph.
The mounting on card paper or canvas being accomplished, I finally varnish the
front side of the photograph by means of copal varnish."
The picture thus obtained reproduces all the peculiarities of good old paintings,
such as the marks of the brush of the artist, cracks in the varnish, and so on."
Having described the nature of the said Invention and explained the manner of
carrying it into practical effect, as communicated to me as aforesaid, I hereby declare
that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the method of
producing colored photographs, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W. LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)