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Record Details

Photograph (Experimental Photogenic Drawing), by Sir John Herschel, June 21, 1839

Inventory Number: 67024
Object Type:
Persons: Sir John Frederick William Herschel (Photographer)
Date Created: 1839
Accession Number: 1928-71
Brief Description: Experimental photogenic drawing by Sir John Herschel, June 21, 1839, made as a fixing experiment using a variant of hypo. Companion of 32872, 79457, and 97127.

Subject: engraving 23746, landscape with figure on cliff above river
Technique: contact copy
Format: horizontal
Polarity: negative
Orientation: laterally reversed
Quality: poor, very pale
Colour: pale reddish brown, dark brown border
Chemistry: silver based, fixed with ammonium thiosulphate
Coating: none
Inscription: number, date, chemical note
Paper: thin
Condition: small tear at top edge, bottom right corner torn off
Purpose: a fixing experiment using hyposulphite of ammonia.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.
Primary Inscriptions: '504' and '504. --[long dash] June 21[altered from 22]. Hypos. Ammon' [hyposulphite of ammonia; in Herschel'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
Dimensions:
Height Width Depth Diameter Unit
102 123 mm

Narratives

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