Photograph (Experimental Photogenic Drawing) of Fern, by W. H. Fox Talbot, from the Photographic Experiments of Sir John Herschel, 1839 | |
| Inventory Number: | 11889 |
| Object Type: | |
| Persons: |
William Henry Fox Talbot (Photographer) Sir John Frederick William Herschel (Owner) |
| Date Created: | |
| Accession Number: | 1928-71 |
| Brief Description: | Experimental photogenic drawing of a piece of fern, by W. H. F. Talbot, undated but 1839. The paper is unevenly cut to an irregular shape, curved or banana-shaped, in a manner typical of Talbot; it is the larger part of a photograph of fern which he has cut into two (the small part, the tip of the fern, being 89565). The inscription suggests it is fixed with a potassium salt, possibly iodide or bromide. Given to Herschel by Talbot as a specimen of the current state of his photogenic drawing process. For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives. |
| Primary Inscriptions: | 'Potassium' [in Talbot's hand]. |
| Provenance: | Presented by Miss Herschel and Lady Lubbock in 1928. They were the two surviving and youngest children of Sir John Herschel (Francisca and Constance). |
| Collection Group: | Herschel's Photographic Experiments |
| Material(s): |
Paper |
Narratives | |
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