Historical Photographers - Louis Daguerre Pt. 1

Engraving of Louis Daguerre - New York Public Library

Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre (18th November 1787 – 10th July 1851) was a French artist, painter, and inventor who is best known for his development of the daguerreotype, an early form of photography. His invention revolutionised the world of visual arts and sciences, marking the beginning of the photography era.

Daguerre was born in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, Val-d'Oise, France. He began his career as a stage designer and painter, working mainly on theatre sets and panoramas. In 1822, he partnered with Charles Marie Bouton to create the Diorama, a popular large-scale entertainment venue that showcased highly detailed and realistic paintings on a semi-transparent canvas. The paintings were illuminated from behind, creating a sense of depth and realism.

Plan of the London Diorama building - Almanach des Spectacles

Here are the key elements of the Diorama:

1. Size and Structure: The Diorama consisted of a large, rotatable auditorium that could seat up to 350 people. The audience would sit in the middle, and the scenery was painted on massive canvas panels that were installed on each side of the auditorium.

2. Paintings: Each Diorama presentation would usually include two scenes, often depicting grand landscapes or historic architectural scenes. The paintings were highly detailed and used a combination of transparent and opaque paints to create a sense of depth and realism.

3. Lighting Effects: The scenes were lit from behind using a complex system of shutters, screens, and coloured filters. By manipulating these elements, the operators could create a range of lighting effects that would make the scenes appear to change, giving the illusion of different times of day, changing weather conditions, or the progression of seasons.

4. Rotation: After viewing the first scene, the entire auditorium would slowly rotate, allowing the audience to view the second scene. This rotation was a mechanical marvel at the time and added to the spectacle and appeal of the Diorama.

5. Narration and Music: The visual experience was often accompanied by a narration that described the scene and the changes taking place. Occasionally, there would also be background music to enhance the mood.

The Diorama was a significant cultural phenomenon in the 1820s and 1830s, with successful theatres in Paris, London, and several other cities. It was a precursor to moving pictures and cinema, offering a communal, immersive visual spectacle. However, as photographic and cinematic technologies developed, the Diorama gradually fell out of favour and was largely forgotten by the late 19th century. Nonetheless, its influence can be seen in various forms of entertainment today, from theme park attractions to IMAX theatres.

This project led to his interest in the field of optics and image capturing techniques.

Daguerre's foray into photography began when he started experimenting with the camera obscura, a device that projects an image of its surroundings onto a screen inside the device. He sought to find a way to permanently fix the image captured by the camera obscura, which led him to work with Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor who had already made progress in the field of photography by developing the heliograph and the world's first known photograph, "View from the Window at Le Gras" in 1826 - as discussed on earlier posts.

Camera obscura box

After Niépce's death in 1833, Daguerre continued their collaborative work, experimenting with various chemicals and processes to improve image capturing and permanence. In 1839, Daguerre made a breakthrough by discovering the daguerreotype process. This process involved treating a silver-plated copper sheet with iodine vapour to form a light-sensitive surface. When exposed to light through a camera lens, a latent image formed on the plate, which could be developed by exposing it to mercury vapour and then fixed using a solution of common salt or sodium thiosulphate.

Here are the steps:

1. Cleaning the Silver Plate: The first step in the daguerreotype process was to meticulously clean a silver-plated copper plate. This was usually done with a solution of rottenstone (a type of rock powder) and alcohol, rubbed onto the plate with a soft cloth. The plate was then buffed to a high polish using a softer material, such as leather. The goal was to create a mirror-like surface without any imperfections, as these could affect the final image.

2. Sensitising the Plate: After cleaning, the plate was sensitised to make it light-sensitive. This was accomplished by placing the plate in a box over iodine vapour. The iodine reacted with the silver on the plate to form a layer of silver iodide, a light-sensitive compound. The length of time the plate was exposed to the iodine vapour would affect the sensitivity of the plate and the contrast of the final image.

3. Exposing the Plate: The sensitised plate was then placed in a camera and exposed to light. The camera used was a camera obscura, essentially a large box with a lens at one end and a place to hold the plate at the other. The lens would focus the light onto the plate, and the length of the exposure could range from a few seconds to several minutes, depending on the lighting conditions.

4. Developing the Image: After exposure, the plate was taken to a darkroom for development. This was done by exposing the plate to heated mercury vapour. The mercury would amalgamate with the silver on the plate where light had struck, forming visible clusters of silver-mercury amalgam that made up the image. This was a dangerous step due to the toxicity of mercury, and the vapours had to be carefully controlled and ventilated.

5. Fixing the Image: The developed image was then made permanent by immersing the plate in a solution of sodium thiosulphate, also known as "hypo". This dissolved the remaining light-sensitive silver iodide and halted any further exposure and darkening of the image.

6. Washing and Drying: Finally, the plate was thoroughly rinsed with water to remove any remaining chemicals, and then dried. The plate had to be dried carefully to avoid water spots, which could mar the image.

7. Housing the Image: The finished daguerreotype was typically placed behind a protective cover glass and sealed with a frame, usually a brass mat. This assembly was then placed inside a protective case, often made of leather-covered wood or thermoplastic. This was necessary because the delicate silver surface could be easily damaged by touch or by exposure to the air.

View of the Boulevard du Temple - Daguerre, 1836 (world's oldest photograph of a person)

To be continued…