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Gustave LE GRAY (French, 1820-1884) "Le Hêtre, Fontainebleau"*, early 1850s Albumen or coated salt print from a waxed paper negative 20.0 x 27.2 cm

Gustave Le Gray (French, 1820-1884)
"Le Hêtre, Fontainebleau", early 1850s
Albumen or coated salt print from a waxed paper negative
20.0 x 27.2 cm mounted on 41.7 x 56.8 cm paper
Numbered "721" in the negative. Photographer's red signature stamp. Titled with "No 721" in pencil, and "721" in ink, with photographer's oval blindstamp on the mount.

By the late 1840s Le Gray had become an innovator of photographic processes, developing the waxed paper negative around 1848. Saturating the paper with beeswax and light-sensitive chemicals made the image sharper than that resulting from the paper negative process devised by Talbot beginning in the 1830s. The waxed paper of Le Gray’s process could be prepared in advance and developed days after exposure allowing photographers to minimize the quantity of equipment in the field.
In 1849, Le Gray traveled to Fontainebleau to photograph the forest. By that time, the forest of Fontainebleau had already hosted several important landscape painters such as Camille Corot and Theodore Rousseau who produce oil sketches en plein air.  Train service from Paris, established in 1849, also brought thousands of metropolitan visitors who strolled through the various regions of the forest which included rugged landscapes of boulders and sand, thick oak forests, and shaded birch groves. Le Gray sought out the most technically challenging subjects for his photographs, concentrating on rocks and trees bathed in rapidly shifting light that was difficult to capture with long exposures. Masterpieces of light and shadow, Le Gray's pictures of Fontainebleau are remarkable technical achievements and are considered some of the most artistic photographs made in the mid-nineteenth century. 

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Benjamin Brecknell TURNER (English, 1815-1894) "In Loseley Park"*, 1852-1854 Albumen print from a waxed calotype negative 27.0 x 22.4 cm Titled in pencil on verso

Benjamin Brecknell Turner (English, 1815-1894)
"In Loseley Park", 1852-1854
Albumen print from a waxed calotype negative
27.0 x 22.4 cm
Titled in pencil on verso

Another print in the collection of the V&A, titled Head of the Lake, Losely Park, Ph.41-1982

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William Henry Fox TALBOT (English, 1800-1877) Loch Katrine, 1844 Salt print from a calotype negative 17.8 x 21.8 cm on 18.9 x 22.5 cm paper "LA35" in ink on verso

William Henry Fox Talbot (English, 1800-1877)
Loch Katrine, 1844
Salt print from a calotype negative
17.8 x 21.8 cm on 18.9 x 22.5 cm paper
"LA35" in ink on verso
Schaaf 2787

This image is Plate 11 in Sun Pictures in Scotland, 1845.

This negative (1937-139), and indeed most of those that Talbot made on this Scottish trip, survives in good condition in the Talbot Collection, National Media Museum, Bradford.

 

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Captain Linnaeus TRIPE (English, 1822-1902) "No. 118. Rangoon. Natural Bridge." Burma, 1855 Albumenized salt print from a waxed paper negative 25.2 x 33.3 cm mounted on 45.6 x 58.3 cm paper Signed "L. Tripe" in ink. Photographer's blindstamp and printed label with plate number, title and "A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine." on mount.

Captain Linnaeus Tripe (English, 1822-1902)
"No. 118. Rangoon. Natural Bridge." Burma, 1855
Albumenized salt print from a waxed paper negative
25.2 x 33.3 cm mounted on 45.6 x 58.3 cm paper
Signed "L. Tripe" in ink. Photographer's blindstamp and printed label with plate number, title and "A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine." on mount.

According to the British Library website:
This view shows, 'A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine'. Tiger Alley was one of the roads leading out of Rangoon to the north. Kemmendine (Kyimyintaing) was a district of Rangoon to the north-west. The Second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852 ended with the British annexation of Pegu and occupation of Rangoon. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General of British India was instructed by the East India Company to require the Burmese king Mindon Min to sign a treaty recognising the annexation. Diplomatic overtures commenced in 1855 by means of a mission headed by Arthur Phayre, the newly-appointed Commisssioner of Pegu province, and Henry Yule, an officer in the Public Works Department was appointed Secretary to the mission. Besides the diplomatic objective, the mission was expected to obtain detailed information about Upper Burma. Linnaeus Tripe was appointed official photographer to the mission.

 

 

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John Dillwyn LLEWELYN (Welsh, 1810-1882) Pheasant and ferns, Penllergare, early 1850s Albumen print from a glass negative 21.4 x 16.2 cm on 21.7 x 16.5 cm paper, irregularly trimmed

John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)
Pheasant and ferns, Penllergare, early 1850s
Albumen print from a glass negative
21.4 x 16.2 cm on 21.7 x 16.5 cm paper, irregularly trimmed

John Dillwyn Llewelyn was a magistrate, a distinguished botanist and a founder member of the Royal Institution of South Wales. Many of his images were made around his country seat in Penllergare, near Swansea, and around the Welsh coast. Llewelyn was a cousin by marriage of William Henry Fox Talbot who taught him the process.

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V. DIJON (French) Logging scene in a forest*, 1850s Salt print from a paper negative 21.5 x 27.6 cm

V. Dijon (French)
Logging scene in a forest, 1850s
Salt print from a paper negative
21.5 x 27.6 cm upper right corner clipped
Inscribed "13" in pencil on verso

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Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart Apple blossoms (detail), Folio 6 recto*, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860 Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative 43.9 x 33.3 cm Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart
Apple blossoms, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860
Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative
43.9 x 33.3 cm
Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

 

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Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart Branch of apples (detail), Folio 1 verso*, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860 Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative 32.3 x 43.2 cm Red wetstamp “A.M.” on verso

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart
Branch of apples, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860
Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative
43.9 x 33.3 cm
Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

Inquire
Gustave LE GRAY (French, 1820-1884) "Le Hêtre, Fontainebleau"*, early 1850s Albumen or coated salt print from a waxed paper negative 20.0 x 27.2 cm

Gustave Le Gray (French, 1820-1884)
"Le Hêtre, Fontainebleau", early 1850s
Albumen or coated salt print from a waxed paper negative
20.0 x 27.2 cm mounted on 41.7 x 56.8 cm paper
Numbered "721" in the negative. Photographer's red signature stamp. Titled with "No 721" in pencil, and "721" in ink, with photographer's oval blindstamp on the mount.

By the late 1840s Le Gray had become an innovator of photographic processes, developing the waxed paper negative around 1848. Saturating the paper with beeswax and light-sensitive chemicals made the image sharper than that resulting from the paper negative process devised by Talbot beginning in the 1830s. The waxed paper of Le Gray’s process could be prepared in advance and developed days after exposure allowing photographers to minimize the quantity of equipment in the field.
In 1849, Le Gray traveled to Fontainebleau to photograph the forest. By that time, the forest of Fontainebleau had already hosted several important landscape painters such as Camille Corot and Theodore Rousseau who produce oil sketches en plein air.  Train service from Paris, established in 1849, also brought thousands of metropolitan visitors who strolled through the various regions of the forest which included rugged landscapes of boulders and sand, thick oak forests, and shaded birch groves. Le Gray sought out the most technically challenging subjects for his photographs, concentrating on rocks and trees bathed in rapidly shifting light that was difficult to capture with long exposures. Masterpieces of light and shadow, Le Gray's pictures of Fontainebleau are remarkable technical achievements and are considered some of the most artistic photographs made in the mid-nineteenth century. 

Benjamin Brecknell TURNER (English, 1815-1894) "In Loseley Park"*, 1852-1854 Albumen print from a waxed calotype negative 27.0 x 22.4 cm Titled in pencil on verso

Benjamin Brecknell Turner (English, 1815-1894)
"In Loseley Park", 1852-1854
Albumen print from a waxed calotype negative
27.0 x 22.4 cm
Titled in pencil on verso

Another print in the collection of the V&A, titled Head of the Lake, Losely Park, Ph.41-1982

William Henry Fox TALBOT (English, 1800-1877) Loch Katrine, 1844 Salt print from a calotype negative 17.8 x 21.8 cm on 18.9 x 22.5 cm paper "LA35" in ink on verso

William Henry Fox Talbot (English, 1800-1877)
Loch Katrine, 1844
Salt print from a calotype negative
17.8 x 21.8 cm on 18.9 x 22.5 cm paper
"LA35" in ink on verso
Schaaf 2787

This image is Plate 11 in Sun Pictures in Scotland, 1845.

This negative (1937-139), and indeed most of those that Talbot made on this Scottish trip, survives in good condition in the Talbot Collection, National Media Museum, Bradford.

 

Captain Linnaeus TRIPE (English, 1822-1902) "No. 118. Rangoon. Natural Bridge." Burma, 1855 Albumenized salt print from a waxed paper negative 25.2 x 33.3 cm mounted on 45.6 x 58.3 cm paper Signed "L. Tripe" in ink. Photographer's blindstamp and printed label with plate number, title and "A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine." on mount.

Captain Linnaeus Tripe (English, 1822-1902)
"No. 118. Rangoon. Natural Bridge." Burma, 1855
Albumenized salt print from a waxed paper negative
25.2 x 33.3 cm mounted on 45.6 x 58.3 cm paper
Signed "L. Tripe" in ink. Photographer's blindstamp and printed label with plate number, title and "A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine." on mount.

According to the British Library website:
This view shows, 'A fallen tree over Tiger Alley near the American Mission at Kemindine'. Tiger Alley was one of the roads leading out of Rangoon to the north. Kemmendine (Kyimyintaing) was a district of Rangoon to the north-west. The Second Anglo-Burmese war of 1852 ended with the British annexation of Pegu and occupation of Rangoon. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor General of British India was instructed by the East India Company to require the Burmese king Mindon Min to sign a treaty recognising the annexation. Diplomatic overtures commenced in 1855 by means of a mission headed by Arthur Phayre, the newly-appointed Commisssioner of Pegu province, and Henry Yule, an officer in the Public Works Department was appointed Secretary to the mission. Besides the diplomatic objective, the mission was expected to obtain detailed information about Upper Burma. Linnaeus Tripe was appointed official photographer to the mission.

 

 

John Dillwyn LLEWELYN (Welsh, 1810-1882) Pheasant and ferns, Penllergare, early 1850s Albumen print from a glass negative 21.4 x 16.2 cm on 21.7 x 16.5 cm paper, irregularly trimmed

John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)
Pheasant and ferns, Penllergare, early 1850s
Albumen print from a glass negative
21.4 x 16.2 cm on 21.7 x 16.5 cm paper, irregularly trimmed

John Dillwyn Llewelyn was a magistrate, a distinguished botanist and a founder member of the Royal Institution of South Wales. Many of his images were made around his country seat in Penllergare, near Swansea, and around the Welsh coast. Llewelyn was a cousin by marriage of William Henry Fox Talbot who taught him the process.

V. DIJON (French) Logging scene in a forest*, 1850s Salt print from a paper negative 21.5 x 27.6 cm

V. Dijon (French)
Logging scene in a forest, 1850s
Salt print from a paper negative
21.5 x 27.6 cm upper right corner clipped
Inscribed "13" in pencil on verso

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart Apple blossoms (detail), Folio 6 recto*, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860 Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative 43.9 x 33.3 cm Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart
Apple blossoms, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860
Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative
43.9 x 33.3 cm
Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

 

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart Branch of apples (detail), Folio 1 verso*, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860 Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative 32.3 x 43.2 cm Red wetstamp “A.M.” on verso

Unidentified photographer attributed to the Circle of Charles Simart
Branch of apples, from the album assembled circa 1856-1860
Salt print from an enlarged collodion negative
43.9 x 33.3 cm
Inscribed “Chicago 215” and “Chic 215” by André Jammes in pencil on mount

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