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Record Details

Photograph (Experimental Photogenic Drawing, Phytotype), by Sir John Herschel, c.1841

Inventory Number: 73401
Object Type:
Persons: Sir John Frederick William Herschel (Photographer)
Date Created:
Accession Number: 1928-71
Brief Description: Experimental photogenic drawing (phytotype) by Sir John Herschel, undated, c.1841, made during his exploration of alternative sensitising agents to silver salts, the most unusual of which were juices extracted from flower petals, producing these 'vegetable photographs'. Paper has part of a B & TS 1832 watermark.

Subject: engraving, barely discernible image
Technique: direct-positive contact copy
Format: not apparent
Polarity: positive
Orientation: not apparent
Quality: image barely discernible
Colour: fawn
Chemistry: phytotype
Coating: none
Inscription: number
Paper: xxx
Condition: good
Purpose: an experiment with the photographic possibilities of light-sensitive dyes extracted from flower petals.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.
Primary Inscriptions: '1217'.
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
92 125 mm

Narratives

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