History and practise of photogenic drawing on the true principles of the Daguerréotype. With the new method of dioramic painting; secrets purchased by the French government, and by their command published for the benefit of the arts and manufactures / by L.J.M. Daguerre. Translated from the original by J.S. Memes.

  • Louis Daguerre
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History and practise of photogenic drawing on the true principles of the Daguerréotype. With the new method of dioramic painting; secrets purchased by the French government, and by their command published for the benefit of the arts and manufactures / by L.J.M. Daguerre. Translated from the original by J.S. Memes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    design was impressed. This manner of operating gives a gradation of tone altogether impossible to be attained by immersing the design in any solvent. Numerous experiments made by the author prove that light cannot fall upon a body without leaving traces of decompo- sition on the surface upon which it impinges. But these experiments have also demonstrated to him that these same bodies possess the power of restoring and renewing in a great measure their previous loss in darkness, provided the light has not effected a total decomposition.* Any one may be convinced of this, by taking two plates, prepared as already described, and exposing them to photogra- phic influences of exactly the same kind and duration. When it is judged that the light has produced its effects, and that both are impressed with the same, or nearly the same * [Instances of the truth of these remarks will occur to every reader. How often are interesting remains, as coins, utensils, bones, and even manuscripts, dug up in dry situations, protected from light, and seem- ingly in good preservation ? A short exposure to daylight, dissolves the charm with the substances themselves. I had once the good fortune to be present at the opening of the grave of an ancient British chief, whose remains had slumbered in undisturbed repose for eighteen centuries. A rude urn, a well-formed battle-axe of stone, and a bronze dagger, were apparently in excellent condition. The dagger was particularly beautiful; its ivory handle, even to the ornamented tassel of white bristles, all seemed perfect as when grasped by the wearer. But while we looked,— like the air-drawn dagger of Macbeth,—it melted away on exposure to photogenic, or rather phototheiric process of exposure to day-light, leaving behind only regret—and a fragment of the corroded blade. The state of the atmosphere, particularly as to its humidity or dryness, has doubtless a very considerable share in such changes as Daguerre refers to. Still his principles are exceedingly valuable, and if followed out might lead to important results in physiology. Why, for instance, the beautiful skies of his own France are so rapidly destructive of youthful beauty in one sex—the complexion and form of the human being in dif- ferent climates—the different qualities of vegetable productions, varying with the light of the regions in which they grow—the plumage of birds, —following to a certain extent the same principle, &c. &c.—are often illustrations of the same principle.—Translator.]