Vol. 14 No. 1 (2025)
Historical Pills

Capturing light in the mirror: A scientific journey through the history of daguerreotypy and its pioneers

Diego Quintero Balbas
CNR Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Italia
Laura Benassi
CNR Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Italia
Jana Striova
CNR Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Italia

Published 2025-04-29

Keywords

  • photography,
  • daguerreotypes,
  • optics,
  • history of science

How to Cite

Quintero Balbas, D., Benassi, L., & Striova, J. (2025). Capturing light in the mirror: A scientific journey through the history of daguerreotypy and its pioneers. Il Colle Di Galileo, 14(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.36253/cdg-16134

Abstract

Daguerreotypes are the first widely disseminated photographic process made public in the first half of the 19th century. Their invention and development are closely related to a network of scientists, primarily physicists and chemists, whose interest in light and its phenomena significantly contributed to the advancement of photographic techniques. This contribution traces the history of daguerreotypy through the figures of these scientists, opening a window onto a fascinating chapter of the history of science.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

  1. Baechler, Gilles, et al. 2021. “Shedding light on 19th century spectra by analyzing Lippmann photography.” PNAS 17: e2008819118
  2. Barger, M. Susan, and William B. White. 1991. The Daguerreotype. Nineteenth-century technology and modern science. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press.
  3. Bianchi, Simone. 2010. “Gli Strumenti di Giovan Battista Amici Dalla Vecchia Specola di Firenze al Nuovo Osservatorio di Arcetri.” Nuncius 2: 357-382.
  4. Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia. 2021. “Valorizzazione del più importante fondo italiano di fotografie uniche.” Accesso 31 ottobre 2024. https://www.alinari.it/it/progetti/valorizzazione-fotografie-uniche?fbclid=IwY2x jawGQYYtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYA1wzabDm3Jd6kI1fOSkxys WjlHeFf31zCFfltB786p_53 VWj9lzW_TA_aem_uTfI7gVu9DXCC84EyjKS7g
  5. Frercks, Jan. 2000. “Creativity and Technology in Experimentation: Fizeau’s Terrestial Determination of Speed of Light.” Centaurus 42: 249-287.
  6. Palomarez, Michael. 2015. “Daguerreotypes: Mirror and Record in an Age of Consumption.” Watermark 9: 127-150.
  7. Quintero Balbas, Diego, et al. 2023. “The Degradation of Daguerreotypes and the Relationship with Their Multi-Material Structure: A Multimodal Investigation.” Sensors 23: 4341.
  8. Quintero Balbas, Diego, et al. 2022. “The Colors of the Butterfly Wings: Non-Invasive Microanalytical of Hand-Coloring Materials in 19th-Century Daguerreotypes.” Heritage 5: 4306-4324.
  9. Robinson, Michael A. 2017. “The Technique and Material Aesthetic of the Daguerreotype.” Tesi di dottorato, De Montfort University.
  10. Sweeney, Susan Elizabeth. 2018. “Death, Decay, and the Daguerreotype’s Influence on “The Black Cat.” The Edgar Ala Poe Review 2: 206-232.