The Dawn of Photography: French Daguerreotypes, 1839-1855

Louis Jacques Mand Daguerre grabbed the attention of the world in 1839 with a new invention: the daguerreotype. These magically detailed, one-of-a-kind images on silver-plated sheets of copper were the first photographs shown to the public. They boldly announced a revolution that would forever change the history of visual representation. This comprehensive catalogue on CD-ROM discusses various aspects of the daguerreotype in France during its heyday from 1839 to 1855. It traces the opposed attitudes of the scientific and artistic communities toward the invention; Daguerre's modern marketing techniques; the growth of the daguerreotype business, especially in professional portrait studios; the role of so-called scientific daguerreotypes in the evolving field of anthropology; the decline of the daguerreotype in France with the advent of photography on paper; and much more. There are also 175 entries on individual daguerreotypes, all illustrated in full colour; an anthology of historical documents in both French and English; and a computer animation showing the steps in making a daguerreotype.