The Press Stories
Series“High Technology in the 19th Century” (1/4). “Le Monde” is reminiscent of four founding objects that have shaken the mood. In 1839, Tagore inspired photography in French society. Accepted first by tenants and portrait entrepreneurs, it then affects families who want to enrich their heritage.
“No one should enter here unless he is a chemist.” This motto may have appeared on the front page of the laboratory of the pioneers of the art of photography, who sought to correct the trace of light, deceiving vials with intricate names, lending to any object quickly – “Judian bitumen”, “nitric acid” Where “Silver Chloride”. After centuries of trial and error, this research culminated in 1839: Louis Tagore created a photographic process with his own name, inspired by the research of Nicஃphore Niepce, who died six years ago, and joined him. The government, aware of the possibilities of the invention, obtains a patent and places it in the public domain.
A few enthusiasts immediately begin to create their own docrotypes. These trainee chemists Go against repeated failures because exercise is especially hard, stressful A photo magazine Of the period.
Iodized vapors
Not surprisingly, these pioneers were mostly renters. “People with a lot of money and leisure, Photo historian Sylvie Abenas explains. Difficulty is not a bar for them and the cost of the process is rare. “ This very small public shares his knowledge in the circles of provincial dignitaries. A journalist from satirical criticism Satan In 1844 he painted a portrait of them on clay:
“Mr. D … pushed the love of Tagoretipe into anger.” He has no attraction to the holidays except as an excuse for his study of optics; Only the countryside reduces him to Lilliputian proportions and is fitted on the glitter plate. He hates the fountains of country sport: boats, fishing, hunting, horses (…), he sends his guests, amidst the scent of blooming hawthorn, to his smoking iodine vapors. “
Photographers should keep their cameras open for several minutes, as the stuttering chemistry of tachyrotype requires more light. Under these conditions, it is difficult to photograph humans with such restlessness: the first docrotypes make indestructible architectural or landscape scenes. Their authors delve into the ruins of Roman and Greek civilizations.
Narcissus thinks about his image
Fortunately, the exposure time decreases rapidly, decreasing to less than a minute When there is a lot of light. Professionals rush to the breach, and they provide photographic portraits to the Persian bourgeoisie. The proposal is attractive: photography is more economical than a sketch, the process is less threatening and much faster.
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