Ранняя фотография из коллекции РОСФОТО
ROSPHOTO presents a unique project — the exhibition-laboratory "Daguerre Against Talbot" Continuing its series of studies on the history of photography, this new exhibition, for the first time in Russia, compares and analyzes the distinctive features of the earliest photographic processes, developed simultaneously by the Frenchman Louis Daguerre and the Englishman Henry Talbot.
"The invention I now present to you belongs to those few discoveries which, by their nature and results, and by their beneficial influence on art, will rightfully take their place among the most useful and astonishing inventions of humankind. Its essence lies in the direct reproduction of views of nature, captured with the aid of a camera — not in color, but with an extraordinarily smooth and even rendering of all the tones of the image." These words, written by Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre in 1838 to promote his invention — the first photographic process whose principals were described with enough accuracy and detail to be successfully reproduced by others, encapsulate all the hopes and contradictions associated with this groundbreaking discovery.
In 1839, following a presentation on the discovery of photography made by François Arago and Jean-Baptiste Biot, they received a letter dated January 29, which read: "In a few days, I shall have the honor of submitting to the Academy of Sciences a formal statement of my claim to priority in the discovery of the following two methods attributed to Mr. Daguerre: (1) the fixation of images produced by the camera obscura, and (2) the treatment of these images so that they are no longer altered by further exposure to light. At present, being much occupied with a memoir on this subject which I am to read shortly before the Royal Society, I must confine myself to begging you to accept the assurance of my highest respect. "
Thus, the English scientist William Henry Fox Talbot declared his claim to priority in the invention of photography. Indeed, he is credited with creating a two-stage photographic process, in which a negative image was produced inside the camera obscura on photosensitive paper, from which positive prints could be made by contact exposure. This concept formed the foundation of classical silver halide photography.
A man of broad education, Talbot left behind a vast scientific legacy — including a two-volume study of Antiquity and classical literature, works on integral equations, the deciphering of ancient Assyrian cuneiform, the invention of the first polarizing microscope, and pioneering studies of optical crystals under polarized light.
Both early photographic processes — daguerreotype and talbotype (calotype), became the starting point for the emergence of photography in all the meanings we understand it today. However, the representation and study of these processes have traditionally been built on the contrast between two seemingly different technologies.
From the very beginning, as soon as paper photography techniques allowed for the production of high-quality images, aesthetic and practical preference was given to paper prints. They possessed far greater artistic expressiveness, as well as clear advantages in terms of reproducibility and the variety of photographic formats. The popularity of this "paper-based light drawing" can also be explained by its visual resemblance to printed graphics. The daguerreotype, despite its technical perfection as a "mirror of nature", had a number of inherent qualities that hindered its wider acceptance and dissemination. It was a unique object — personal, private, almost intimate in nature, one that for a time satisfied society’s desire for an exact reproduction of reality.
Lincoln’s Inn, London
United Kingdom, c. 1844
Scott’s Grave
United Kingdom, 1844
Hampton Court
United Kingdom, 1840s
Furness Abbey
United Kingdom, 1850s
The exhibition “Daguerre Against Talbot” presents more than 100 exceptionally rare original early photographic images, dating back to the 1840s, from the ROSPHOTO collection. The display explores the distinctive features, advantages, and limitations of both technologies.
The exhibition also showcases the results of ROSPHOTO’s recent research discoveries, based on previously published materials from the multi-volume scholarly edition “Daguerreotype in Russia”.
In addition, within the framework of the project, specialists from the ROSPHOTO Laboratory and Restoration Research Department and artists from the Department of Contemporary Studies of the New Academy of Fine Arts have launched joint experiments aimed at the reconstruction and revival of historical photographic printing techniques. The outcome of this collaboration includes modern artistic museum copies of classic works of early photography — pieces that can be displayed without time limitations and are adapted for visually impaired audiences.
Video clips about the exhibition "Daguerre Against Talbot"
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