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Rediscovering Ducos du Hauron's Color Photography through a Review of His Three‐Color Printing Processes and Synchrotron Microanalysis of His Prints
Author(s) -
Cotte Marine,
Fabris Tiphaine,
Langlois Juliette,
BellotGurlet Ludovic,
Ploye Françoise,
Coural Natalie,
Boust Clotilde,
Gandolfo JeanPaul,
Galifot Thomas,
Susini Jean
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201712617
Subject(s) - synchrotron , microanalysis , photography , characterization (materials science) , chemistry , art , optics , visual arts , computer graphics (images) , polymer science , materials science , nanotechnology , computer science , organic chemistry , physics
Louis Ducos du Huron (1837–1920) dedicated his entire life to the elaboration of physical–chemical processes for color photography. This study aimed at highlighting his unique contribution to three‐color printing through 1) an in‐depth review of the many protocols he published and 2) the synchrotron‐based IR and X‐ray microanalysis of fragments sampled in three artworks. Ducos du Hauron's method relied on the preparation and assembly of three monochromes (red, blue, yellow). This study brings to light complex multistep recipes based on photochemistry (carbon print), organic, and inorganic chemistry. The various ingredients involved (e.g., pigments, dichromate gelatin, collodion, resin) were identified and localized through their spectroscopic signature, confirming the relevance of synchrotron spectromicroscopy for the characterization of historical photographs. The impressive correlation between texts and chemical analyses calls for a wider application to the history of photography.