Historical Photographers - Nicéphore Niépce Pt. 2
Continuing on from last week…
Later Work
Niépce, inspired by heliography, then went and developed heliogravure, also known as photogravure. Niépce's invention of heliogravure in the 1820s was a significant milestone in the history of photography and printing, as it allowed for the first time the permanent reproduction of images using light and chemicals.
Here's a basic step-by-step description of the process:
1. Creation of the original plate: The process begins with the creation of an original plate, which was traditionally a copper plate. The plate is first polished to remove any scratches or imperfections, then coated with a light-sensitive gelatine tissue which had been previously exposed to a film positive, and so carries the reversed latent image.
2. Exposure: The plate is then exposed to light. The areas of the plate receiving the most light (the highlights) will harden, and the darkest areas (the shadows) will remain relatively soft and unhardened. This is due to the light-sensitive gelatine layer which hardens upon exposure to light. The longer the plate is exposed, the more the gelatine will harden.
3. Etching: After exposure, the plate is etched, usually with ferric chloride. The hardened areas resist the etching process, while the softer, unhardened areas are etched away to varying depths depending on the amount of exposure they received. This results in a plate with a highly detailed intaglio (engraved or incised) image.
4. Inking and printing: The plate is then cleaned, inked and wiped, so that ink remains only in the etched areas. It is then printed onto paper using a traditional printing press. The pressure from the press pushes the paper into the etched areas to pick up the ink, creating the print.
A series of illustrations representing the steps of the heliogravure process
It should be noted that heliogravure is considered a highly skilled and laborious process, and is now largely obsolete in the commercial printing industry. However, it is still used by some artists and printmakers for its unique qualities, including its rich tonal range and the potential for highly detailed prints.
In 1829, Niépce entered into a partnership with Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, a French artist and inventor. The two inventors sought to refine and improve the photographic process. Unfortunately, Niépce passed away in 1833, and his work remained largely unknown during his lifetime. Daguerre continued their work and eventually developed the daguerreotype process, which became the first widely-used photographic process. In honour of Niépce's contributions, Daguerre named him as a co-inventor when he introduced the daguerreotype to the public in 1839.
Challenges
Nicéphore Niépce faced numerous challenges and obstacles throughout his life and work:
1. Political and Personal Challenges: Niépce belonged to a wealthy family that was suspected of having royalist sympathies. During the French Revolution, he had to flee but later returned to serve in the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte. He was dismissed due to ill health, which marked the beginning of his full-time engagement in research.
2. Technical Difficulties in Invention: Niépce's journey towards inventing photography was fraught with technical difficulties. When lithography became popular in France in 1813, Niépce, unskilled in drawing and unable to obtain proper lithographic stone locally, started experimenting with this novel printing technique. His initial attempts at photography, which he called heliography, involved recording a view from his workroom window on paper sensitised with silver chloride. However, he was only partially successful in fixing the image. He experimented with different supports for the light-sensitive material bitumen of Judea, which hardens upon exposure to light. It wasn't until 1822 that he successfully obtained a photographic copy of an engraving superimposed on glass using this material.
3. Societal Attitudes: In 1827, Niépce presented a memorandum on his invention to the Royal Society in London. However, his insistence on keeping the method secret prevented the matter from being further investigated, a decision that might reflect the societal attitudes of the time towards intellectual property and invention.
4. Limitations of Technology: One of the most significant obstacles that Niépce faced was the very long exposure times required by his photographic technique. Despite numerous attempts, he was unable to reduce these times through chemical or optical means. Eventually, in 1829, he decided to form a partnership with Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre to perfect and exploit his heliography technique. Unfortunately, Niépce died without seeing any further advances, but Daguerre eventually succeeded in reducing the exposure time and invented the daguerreotype, the first successful form of photography.
Daguerrotype camera built in 1839, in the collection of the Westlicht Photography Museum in Vienna
5. Family Issues and Financial Ruin: Niépce's elder brother Claude, who was his collaborator, squandered much of the family fortune chasing inappropriate business opportunities. This left Niépce financially ruined at the time of his death in 1833 and his grave in the cemetery of Saint-Loup de Varennes had to be financed by the municipality.
Impact on other inventors
When lithography became a fashionable hobby in France in 1813, Niépce began experimenting with the printing technique. Since he was not skilled in drawing and could not obtain proper lithographic stone locally, he developed a method to create images automatically by coating pewter with various light-sensitive substances. This approach marked one of his initial forays into the realm of photography.
Lithographic press
In April 1816, Niépce progressed to attempts at photography, which he called heliography (sun drawing), using a camera. He used paper sensitised with silver chloride to record a view from his workroom window, but he was only partially able to fix the image. This marked an important step in the development of photography, as it represented one of the earliest known attempts to capture and preserve an image using light-sensitive materials.
In 1826 or 1827, Niépce created the first permanently fixed image from nature. This achievement not only solved the problem of reproducing nature by light, but it also marked the invention of the first photomechanical reproduction process. Although his insistence on keeping the method secret prevented the Royal Society in London from investigating his work, his contribution to the field of photography was significant.
Le Gras 1826/7 - the first photograph
Despite Niépce's death in 1833, his work continued to influence the field of photography. Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, who formed a partnership with Niépce in 1829, built on his knowledge and materials. Daguerre succeeded in greatly reducing the exposure time through his discovery of a chemical process for the development (making visible) of the latent (invisible) image formed upon brief exposure. This led to the invention of the daguerreotype, the first successful form of photography.
Legacy
Despite the numerous challenges and setbacks, Nicéphore Niépce's work has had a lasting impact on the world. His inventions and pioneering work in the field of photography laid the groundwork for the development of modern photography. His work, especially the invention of the heliography process, marked the beginning of the photographic era.
In addition to his contribution to the field of photography, Niépce is also recognised for his work on the Pyréolophore, an early internal combustion engine. This invention, though not as well known as his work in photography, also showcases Niépce's innovative spirit and his contributions to the field of engineering.
Today, Niépce's work is commemorated in several ways. The Niépce Prize, one of the oldest international photography awards, is named in his honour. The Musée Nicéphore Niépce, a museum dedicated to his life and work, is located in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France, near the family estate where he conducted his experiments. In addition, a crater on the Moon is named after him in recognition of his contributions to photography.
Courtesy of Google Street View
Nicéphore Niépce's life and work remind us of the importance of perseverance and innovation in the face of adversity. His pioneering work in photography and engine design has left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire inventors and artists today.