Getty Museum
"Veil": Engine Ruled Lines, Crossed at Right Angles (2004.88.2)
Creator
William Henry Fox TalbotPhotographer · 1800–1877
All works by this person →In 1833, after failed attempts at drawing using the camera lucida, an optical tool, William Henry Fox Talbot wrote: "[H]ow charming it would be if it were possible to cause these natural images to imprint themselves durably, and remain fixed upon the paper!" Talbot, a scientist, mathematician, and author, is credited with being one of the inventors of photography. In mid-1834 he began to experimen
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- possibly July 29, 1859
- Medium
- Photographic engraving
- Culture
- British
- Department
- Photographs
- Institution
- Getty Museum
In late 1847 Talbot wrote about his idea for "transferring photography to steel engravings" in order to achieve a reliable method for illustrating books with photographs. He recognized the need for a more permanent image after a disastrous experience resulted in his prints becoming faded and discolored. By 1852 Talbot had experimented with his photomechanical process, which ensured more permanency through printers' ink. The rarity of this print despite being an engraving that theoretically could be widely reproduced, was a compelling factor in acquiring the work for the Museum.
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