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The History and Practice of the Art of Photography by Snelling

H >> Henry H. Snelling >> The History and Practice of the Art of Photography by Snelling



THE HISTORY AND PRACTICE OF THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY;

OR THE PRODUCTION OF PICTURES THROUGH THE AGENCY OF LIGHT.

CONTAINING ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS NECESSARY FOR THE COMPLETE
PRACTICE OF THE DAGUERREAN AND PHOTOGENIC ART, BOTH ON METALIC,
PLATES AND ON PAPER.

By HENRY H. SNELLING.

ILLUSTRATED WITH WOOD CUTS.

New York: PUBLISHED BY G. P. PUTNAM, 155 Broadway, 1849.


Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1849, by H. H. Snelling,
in the Clerk's office, of the District Court of the Southern District
of New York.

New York: PRINTED BY BUSTEED & McCOY, 163 Fulton Street.


TO EDWARD ANTHONY, ESQ., AN ESTEEMED FRIEND.

Whose gentlemanly deportment, liberal feelings, and strict integrity
have secured him a large circle of friends, this work is Respectfully
Dedicated By the AUTHOR.





PREFACE.



The object of this little work is to fill a void much complained
of by Daguerreotypists--particularly young beginers.

The author has waited a long time in hopes that some more able pen
would be devoted to the subject, but the wants of the numerous,
and constantly increasing, class, just mentioned, induces him
to wait no longer.

All the English works on the subject--particularly on the practical
application, of Photogenic drawing--are deficient in many minute details,
which are essential to a complete understanding of the art.
Many of their methods of operating are entirely different from,
and much inferior to, those practised in the United States:
their apparatus, also, cannot compare with ours for completeness,
utility or simplicity.

I shall, therefore, confine myself principally--so far as Photogenic
drawing upon metalic plates is concerned--to the methods
practised by the most celebrated and experienced operators,
drawing upon French and English authority only in cases
where I find it essential to the purpose for which I design
my work, namely: furnishing a complete system of Photography;
such an one as will enable any gentleman, or lady, who may wish
to practise the art, for profit or amusement, to do so without
the trouble and expense of seeking instruction from professors,
which in many cases within my own knowledge has prevented
persons from embracing the profession.

To English authors I am principally indebted for that portion
of my work relating to Photogenic drawing on paper.
To them we owe nearly all the most important improvements in that
branch of the art. Besides, it has been but seldom attempted
in the United States, and then without any decided success.
Of these attempts I shall speak further in the Historical
portion of this volume.

Every thing essential, therefore, to a complete knowledge of the whole art,
comprising all the most recent discoveries and improvements down to the day
of publication will be found herein laid down.




INTRODUCTION




New York, January 27, 1849.
E. ANTHONY, ESQ.

Dear Sir,--In submiting the accompanying "History and Practice
of Photography to your perusal, and for your approbation, I do
so with the utmost confidence in your ability as a practical man,
long engaged in the science of which it treats, as well as your
knowledge of the sciences generally; as well as your regard for candor.
To you, therefore, I leave the decision whether or no I have
accomplished my purpose, and produced a work which may not only
be of practical benefit to the Daguerrean artist, but of general
interest to the reading public, and your decision will influence
me in offering it for, or withholding it from, publication.

If it meets your approbation, I would most respectfully ask permission
to dedicate it to you, subscribing myself,
With esteem,
Ever truly yours,
HENRY H. SNELLING


New York, February 1st, 1849.
Mr. H. H. SNELLING.

Dear Sir--Your note of January 27th, requesting permission
to dedicate to me your "History and Practice of Photography,"
I esteem a high compliment, particularly since I have read
the manuscript of your work.

Such a treatise has long been needed, and the manner in which you have handled
the subject will make the book as interesting to the reading public as it
is valuable to the Daguerrean artist, or the amateur dabbler in Photography.
I have read nearly all of the many works upon this art that have emanated
from the London and Paris presses, and I think the reader will find in yours
the pith of them all, with much practical and useful information that I
do not remember to have seen communicated elsewhere.

There is much in it to arouse the reflective and inventive
faculties of our Daguerreotypists. They have heretofore stumbled
along with very little knowledge of the true theory of their art,
and yet the quality of their productions is far in advance
of those of the French and English artists, most of whose
establishments I have had the pleasure of visiting I feel therefore,
that when a sufficient amount of theoretic knowledge shall have
been added to this practical skill on the part of our operators,
and when they shall have been made fully acquainted with what has
been attained or attempted by others, a still greater advance
in the art will be manifested.

A GOOD Daguerreotypist is by no means a mere machine following
a certain set of fixed rules. Success in this art requires
personal skill and artistic taste to a much greater degree
than the unthinking public generally imagine; in fact more than
is imagined by nine-tenths of the Daguerreotypists themselves.
And we see as a natural result, that while the business numbers
its thousands of votaries, but few rise to any degree of eminence.
It is because they look upon their business as a mere mechanical
operation, and having no aim or pride beyond the earning of their
daily bread, they calculate what will be a fair per centage
on the cost of their plate, case, and chemicals, leaving MIND,
which is as much CAPITAL as anything else (where it is exercised,)
entirely out of the question.

The art of taking photographs on PAPER, of which your work
treats at considerable length, has as yet attracted but little
attention in this country, though destined, as I fully believe,
to attain an importance far superior to that to which the
Daguerreotype has risen.

The American mind needs a waking up upon the subject, and I
think your book will give a powerful impulse in this direction.
In Germany a high degree of perfection has been reached,
and I hope your countrymen will not be slow to follow.

Your interesting account of the experiments of Mr. Wattles
was entirely new to me, and is another among the many evidences
that when the age is fully ripe for any great discovery,
it is rare that it does not occur to more than a single mind.

Trusting that your work will meet with the encouragement which your trouble
in preparing it deserves, and with gratitude for the undeserved compliment
paid to me in its dedication,

I remain, very sincerely,
Your friend and well wisher,
E. ANTHONY.



PHOTOGRAPHY.

CHAP. I.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ART.


As in all cases of great and valuable inventions in science and art
the English lay claim to the honor of having first discovered
that of Photogenic drawing. But we shall see in the progress
of this history, that like many other assumptions of their authors,
priority in this is no more due them, then the invention of steamboats,
or the cotton gin.

This claim is founded upon the fact that in 1802 Mr. Wedgwood
recorded an experiment in the Journal of the Royal Institution
of the following nature.

"A piece of paper, or other convenient material, was placed upon
a frame and sponged over with a solution of nitrate of silver;
it was then placed behind a painting on glass and the light traversing
the painting produced a kind of copy upon the prepared paper,
those parts in which the rays were least intercepted being
of the darkest hues. Here, however, terminated the experiment;
for although both Mr. Wedgwood and Sir Humphry Davey experimented
carefully, for the purpose of endeavoring to fix the drawings
thus obtained, yet the object could not be accomplished,
and the whole ended in failure."

This, by their own showing, was the earliest attempt of the English savans.
But this much of the principle was known to the Alchemists at an early date--
although practically produced in another way--as the following experiment,
to be found in old books, amply proves.

"Dissolve chalk in aquafortis to the consistence of milk, and add to it
a strong solution of silver; keep this liquor in a glass bottle well stopped;
then cutting out from a piece of paper the letters you would have appear,
paste it on the decanter, and lay it in the sun's rays in such a manner
that the rays may pass through the spaces cut out of the paper and fall
on the surface of the liquor the part of the glass through which the rays
pass will be turned black, while that under the paper remains white;
but particular care must be observed that the bottle be not moved
during the operation."

Had not the alchemists been so intent upon the desire to discover
the far famed philosopher's stone, as to make them unmindful
of the accidental dawnings of more valuable discoveries,
this little experiment in chemistry might have induced them
to prosecute a more thorough search into the principle,
and Photogenic art would not now, as it is, be a new one.

It is even asserted that the Jugglers of India were for many ages
in possession of a secret by which they were enabled, in a brief space,
to copy the likeness of any individual by the action of light.
This fact, if fact it be, may account for the celebrated magic
mirrors said to be possessed by these jugglers, and probable cause
of their power over the people.

However, as early as 1556 the fact was established that a combination
of chloride and silver. called, from its appearance, horn silver,
was blackened by the sun's rays; and in the latter part of the last
century Mrs. Fulhame published an experiment by which a change
of color was effected in the chloride of gold by the agency of light;
and gave it as her opinion that words might be written in this way.
These incidents are considered as the first steps towards the discovery
of the Photogenic art.

Mr. Wedgwood's experiments can scarcely be said to be any improvement
on them since he failed to bring them to practical usefulness,
and his countrymen will have to be satisfied with awarding
the honor of its complete adaptation to practical purposes, to MM.
Niepce and Daguerre of France, and to Professors Draper,
and Morse of New-York.

These gentlemen--MM. Niepce and Daguerre--pursued the subject simultaneously,
without either, however being aware of the experiments of his colleague
in science. For several years, each pursued his researches individually
until chance made them acquainted, when they entered into co-partnership,
and conjointly brought the art almost to perfection.

M. Niepce presented his first paper on the subject to the Royal
Society in 1827, naming his discovery Heliography. What led him
to the study of the principles of the art I have no means, at present,
of knowing, but it was probably owing to the facts recorded
by the Alchemists, Mrs. Fulhame and others, already mentioned.
But M. Daguerre, who is a celebrated dioramic painter,
being desirous of employing some of the singularly changeable salts
of silver to produce a peculiar class of effects in his paintings,
was led to pursue an investigation which resulted in the discovery
of the Daguerreotype, or Photogenic drawing on plates of copper
coated with silver.

To this gentleman--to his liberality--are we Americans
indebted for the free use of his invention; and the large
and increasing class of Daguerrean artists of this country
should hold him in the most profound respect for it.
He was not willing that it should be confined to a few
individuals who might monopolise the benefits to be derived
from its practice, and shut out all chance of improvement.
Like a true, noble hearted French gentleman he desired that his
invention should spread freely throughout the whole world.
With these views he opened negociations with the French government
which were concluded most favorably to both the inventors,
and France has the "glory of endowing the whole world of
science and art with one of the most surprising discoveries
that honor the land."

Notwithstanding this, it has been patented in England and the result
is what might have been expected: English pictures are far below
the standard of excellence of those taken by American artists.
I have seen some medium portraits, for which a guinea each had
been paid, and taken too, by a celebrated artist, that our poorest
Daguerreotypists would be ashamed to show to a second person,
much less suffer to leave their rooms.

CALOTYPE, the name given to one of the methods of Photogenic drawing
on paper, discovered, and perfected by Mr. Fox Talbot of England,
is precisely in the same predicament, not only in that country
but in the United States, Mr. Talbot being patentee in both.
He is a man of some wealth, I believe, but he demands so high
a price for a single right in this country, that none can be found
who have the temerity to purchase.

The execution of his pictures is also inferior to those taken by
the German artists, and I would remark en passant, that the Messrs.
Mead exhibited at the last fair of the American Institute, (of 1848,)
four Calotypes, which one of the firm brought from Germany last Spring,
that for beauty, depth of tone and excellence of execution surpass
the finest steel engraving.

When Mr. Talbot's patent for the United States expires
and our ingenious Yankee boys have the opportunity, I have
not the slightest doubt of the Calotype, in their hands,
entirely superceding the Daguerreotype.

Let them, therefore, study the principles of the art as laid down in
this little work, experiment, practice and perfect themselves in it,
and when that time does arrive be prepared to produce that degree
of excellence in Calotype they have already obtained in Daguerreotype.

It is to Professor Samuel F. B. Morse, the distinguished inventor
of the Magnetic Telegraph, of New York, that we are indebted
for the application of Photography, to portrait taking.
He was in Paris, for the purpose of presenting to the scientific world
his Electro-Magnetic Telegraph, at the time, (1838,) M. Daguerre
announced his splendid discovery, and its astounding results having
an important bearing on the arts of design arrested his attention.
In his letter to me on the subject, the Professor gives
the following interesting facts.

"The process was a secret, and negociations were then in progress,
for the disclosure of it to the public between the French government
and the distinguished discoverer. M. Daguerre had shown his
results to the king, and to a few only of the distinguished savans,
and by the advice of M. Arago, had determined to wait the action
of the French Chambers, before showing them to any other persons.
I was exceedingly desirous of seeing them, but knew not
how to approach M. Daguerre who was a stranger to me.
On mentioning my desire to Robert Walsh, Esq., our worthy Consul,
he said to me; 'state that you are an American, the inventor
of the Telegraph, request to see them, and invite him in turn
to see the Telegraph, and I know enough of the urbanity and
liberal feelings of the French, to insure you an invitation.'
I was successfull in my application, and with a young friend,
since deceased, the promising son of Edward Delevan, Esq., I
passed a most delightful hour with M. Daguerre, and his enchanting
sun-pictures. My letter containing an account of this visit,
and these pictures, was the first announcement in this country
of this splendid discovery."

"I may here add the singular sequel to this visit. On the succeeding day
M. Daguerre paid me a visit to see the Telegraph and witness its operations.
He seemed much gratified and remained with me perhaps two hours;
two melancholy hours to him, as they afterwards proved; or while
he was with me, his buildings, including his diorama, his studio,
his laboratory, with all the beautiful pictures I had seen the day before,
were consumed by fire. Fortunately for mankind, matter only was consumed,
the soul and mind of the genius, and the process were still in existence."

On his return home, Professor Morse waited with impatience
for the revelation of M. Daguerre's process, and no sooner was it
published than he procured a copy of the work containing it,
and at once commenced taking Daguerreotype pictures.
At first his object was solely to furnish his studio with
studies from nature; but his experiments led him into a belief
of the practicability of procuring portraits by the process,
and he was undoubtedly the first whose attempts were attended
with success. Thinking, at that time, that it was necessary
to place the sitters in a very strong light, they were all taken
with their eyes closed.

Others were experimenting at the same time, among them
Mr. Wolcott and Prof. Draper, and Mr. Morse, with his
acustomed modesty, thinks that it would be difficult to say
to whom is due the credit of the first Daguerreotype portrait.
At all events, so far as my knowledge serves me, Professor Morse
deserves the laurel wreath, as from him originated the first
of our inumerable class of Daguerreotypists; and many of his
pupils have carried the manipulation to very great perfection.
In connection with this matter I will give the concluding
paragraph of a private letter from the Professor to me; He says.

"If mine were the first, other experimenters soon made better results,
and if there are any who dispute that I was first, I shall have no argument
with them; for I was not so anxious to be the first to produce the result,
as to produce it in any way. I esteem it but the natural carrying out of
the wonderful discovery, and that the credit was after all due to Daguerre.
I lay no claim to any improvements."

Since I commenced the compilation of this work, I have had the pleasure
of making the acquaintance of an American gentleman--James M. Wattles Esq.--
who as early as 1828--and it will be seen, by what I have already stated,
that this is about the same date of M. Niepce's discovery--had his attention
attracted to the subject of Photography, or as he termed it "Solar picture
drawing," while taking landscape views by means of the camera-obscura.
When we reflect upon all the circumstances connected with his experiments,
the great disadvantages under which be labored, and his extreme youthfullness,
we cannot but feel a national pride--yet wonder--that a mere yankee boy,
surrounded by the deepest forests, hundred of miles from the populous
portion of our country, without the necessary materials, or resources
for procuring them, should by the force of his natural genius make
a discovery, and put it in practical use, to accomplish which,
the most learned philosophers of Europe, with every requisite apparatus,
and a profound knowledge of chemistry--spent years of toil to accomplish.
How much more latent talent may now be slumbering from the very same cause
which kept Mr. Wattles from publicly revealing his discoveries, viz;
want of encouragement--ridicule!

At the time when the idea of taking pictures permanently on paper by
means of the camera-obscura first occurred to him, he was but sixteen
years of age, and under the instructions of Mr. Charles Le Seuer,
(a talented artist from Paris) at the New Harmony school, Indiana.
Drawing and painting being the natural bent of his mind, be was
frequently employed by the professors to make landscape sketches
in the manner mentioned. The beauty of the image of these landscapes
produced on the paper in the camera-obscura, caused him to pause
and admire them with all the ardor of a young artist, and wish
that by some means, he could fix them there in all their beauty.
From wishing he brought himself to think that it was not only possible
but actually capable of accomplishment and from thinking it could,
he resolved it should be done.

He was, however, wholly ignorant of even the first principles
of chemistry, and natural philosophy, and all the knowledge he was
enabled to obtain from his teachers was of very little service to him.
To add to this, whenever he mentioned his hopes to his parents,
they laughed at him, and bade him attend to his studies and let
such moonshine thoughts alone--still he persevered, though secretly,
and he met with the succes his peseverance deserved.

For the truth of his statement, Mr. Wattles refers to some of our
most respectable citizens residing at the west, and I am in hopes
that I shall be enabled to receive in time for this publication,
a confirmation from one or more of these gentlemen. Be that as it may,
I feel confident in the integrity of Mr. Wattles, and can give his
statement to the world without a doubt of its truth.

The following sketch of his experiments and their results will,
undoubtedly, be interesting to every American reader and although
some of the profound philosophers of Europe may smile at his
method of proceeding, it will in some measure show the innate
genius of American minds, and prove that we are not far behind
our trans-atlantic brethren in the arts and sciences.

Mr. Wattles says: "In my first efforts to effect the desired object,
they were feeble indeed, and owing to my limited knowledge of chemistry--
wholly acquired by questioning my teachers--I met with repeated failures
but following them up with a determined spirit, I at last produced,
what I thought very fair samples--but to proceed to my experiments."

"I first dipped a quarter sheet of thin white writing paper in a weak
solution of caustic (as I then called it) and dried it in an empty box,
to keep it in the dark; when dry, I placed it in the camera and watched
it with great patience for nearly half an hour, without producing
any visible result; evidently from the solution being to weak.
I then soaked the same piece of paper in a solution of common potash,
and then again in caustic water a little stronger than the first,
and when dry placed it in the camera. In about forty-five minutes I
plainly percieved the effect, in the gradual darkening of various parts
of the view, which was the old stone fort in the rear of the school garden,
with the trees, fence, &c. I then became convinced of the practicability
of producing beautiful solar pictures in this way; but, alas! my
picture vanished and with it, all--no not all--my hopes. With renewed
determination I began again by studying the nature of the preparation,
and came to the conclusion, that if I could destroy the part not acted
upon by the light without injuring that which was so acted upon,
I could save my pictures. I then made a strong solution of sal.
soda I had in the house, and soaked my paper in it, and then washed
it off in hot water, which perfectly fixed the view upon the paper.
This paper was very poor with thick spots, more absorbent than other parts,
and consequently made dark shades in the picture where they should
not have been; but it was enough to convince me that I had succeeded,
and that at some future time, when I had the means and a more
extensive knowledge of chemistry, I could apply myself to it again.
I have done so since, at various times, with perfect success;
but in every instance laboring under adverse circumstances."

I have very recently learned, that, under the present patent laws
of the United States, every foreign patentee is required to put
his invention, or discovery, into practical use within eighteen
months after taking out his papers, or otherwise forfeit his patent.
With regard to Mr. Talbot's Calotype patent, this time has nearly,
if not quite expired, and my countrymen are now at perfect
liberty to appropriate the art if they feel disposed.
From the statement of Mr. Wattles, it will be perceived that this
can be done without dishonor, as in the first instance Mr. Talbot
had no positive right to his patent.

Photography; or sun-painting is divided, according to the methods
adopted for producing pictures, into

DAGUERREOTYPE, CHROMATYPE,
CALOTYPE, ENERGIATYPE,
CHRYSOTYPE, ANTHOTYPE and
CYANOTYPE, AMPHITYPE.



CHAP. II.

THE THEORY ON LIGHT.--THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE


Some philosophers contend that to the existence of light alone we owe
the beautiful effects produced by the Photogenic art, while others give
sufficient reasons for doubting the correctness of the assumption.
That the results are effected by a principle associated with light and
not by the luminous principle itself, is the most probable conclusion.
The importance of a knowledge of this fact becomes most essential
in practice, as will presently be seen. To this principle Mr. Hunt
gives the name of ENERGIA.

THE NATURE of Light is not wholly known, but it is generally believed
to be matter, as in its motions it obeys the laws regulating matter.
So closely is it connected with heat and electricity that there can be little
doubt of their all being but different modifications of the same substance.
I will not, however, enter into a statement of the various theories of
Philosophers on this head, but content myself with that of Sir Isaac Newton;
who supposed rays of light to consist of minute particles of matter,
which are constantly emanating from luminous bodies and cause vision,
as odoriferous particles, proceeding from certain bodies, cause smelling.

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