Year: 1860

1


Tho shadow which falls In the centre pro
tects the chemicals from the action of the
light, and their color remains unaltered
the outlines sharply defined, and the lights
and shades beautifully graduated by the
varying density of the protecting shad-
ow. When this image is perfected by the
addition of other chemical agents, such as
acetic acid, nitrate of silver and others, il
is fixed permanently by still further chem
ical application, and, with the addition
of black varnish background, stands
forth a perfect picture.


"The more finished and initiative pro-
cess Of photographing on paper is a sec
ond step. The glass which has received
the impression is called a negative picture
that is, the picture is not colored on
the glass, but the remainder of the glass
is colored, leaving the picture in the mid
die transparent and very indefinite unless
brought out by black background
This negative picture is placed between
the rays of tho sun and the Photographic
paper, which is prepared by solution of
chemicals similar in their combinations to
those used on glass, and the light, pass
ing through the transparent image, marks
out a similar object on the paper, the sur
rounding space being protected by the
film of collodion ''adhering to the glass
and preserved unchanged in its color In
manner the beautiful and hfe-like photo
graphic pictures are obtained on paper.
II is merely throwing the shadow Of a
mans form upon glass to protect the sin
gle well defined spot which it covers from
the chemical action of light, forming thus
a transparency through which the suns
rays shines upon paper and paint in the
colors of nature the lineaments of every
object which intercepts its action. A fee
BILE mortal stands between tho sun and
that which it would reach, and with an
unerring pencil the luminary paints his
counterfeit rs if to mark and memorial
ize his presumption.


"To discover the origin of this pro-
cess it is necessary to go back to the dark
ages, at time when the researches of al
chemists for the Philosophers Stone bro't
to light the influence of the suns rays in
darkoning the chemical combinations of
silver, from which the Photographic pow
er is derived. This property was discov-
cred as early as 1866. In the beginning
of the present century Humphrey Davis
explained the process of forming images
on prepared paper by the interruptions of
lights and shades. M. Niepee and M.
Daguerre, both Frenchmen, studied the
science in conjunction for many yoars,
and finally, in 1910, Daguere brought
out the invention which has immortalized
him under the, name of Daguerreotypo.
BY this process he took pictures on silver
plates by the use Of iodine and bromine,
both of which are are extremely sensitive
to light. This process has been super
seded by the ambrotype, taken on glass,
and the photograph, on paper, but it
will always stand as the perfect and un-
approachable pioneer of the great define
ating art. The French government gave
him pension of 5000 francs a year, and
donated to tho heir of his partner, M.
Niepce, pension of 1000 francs. In
consideration of these liberal grants, M.
Daguerre gave his invention to the French
people unincumbered by patent.


The application of the art extends one
step further, however, and is now daily
called into use to aid the artist and en-
graver. Life-size photographs, taken up
on canvas and painted by the usual
method of coloring, constitute the finest
portraits in tho world, the remarkable
harmony of feature and exact proportion
of size which is thus obtained being be.
yond the reach of any except extraordin.
ary artistic talent. For the use of the
engraver the picture is taken upon the
block which he is about TO cut, and his
graver follows its lineaments with an ef
feet which is perfect in its results, The
application of the art has become almost
universal, and it would be difficult to pre-
dict where it will stop. 1t only remains
for inventive genius to perfect the system
that it will counterfeit the colors as wei
as the lights shades Of objects which i
perpetuatos, and il may then be consider
cd perfect in every detail, and altogetho
unapproachable.