Lecture on Albumen Prints

Introduction to Albumen Prints

• Invented in 1850 by Louis Désiré Blanquart-Evrard.
• Most popular photographic process in the 19th century.
• Known as a silver chloride process using table salt.
• Distinguished by the use of egg white (albumen).

Differences Between Albumen Prints and Salted Paper Prints

• Salted paper prints are also known as plain prints.
• Main difference: Albumen prints use egg white, salted paper prints do not.
• Both use similar chemical processes.

Process of Creating Albumen Prints

• Preparation of Albumen Solution:
  • Chicken eggs used to obtain egg whites.
  • Egg whites are beaten and settled to create a yellow liquid containing sodium chloride.
  • Paper is floated on this albumen solution.
• Sensitizing the Paper:
  • After drying, paper is floated on silver nitrate.
  • Silver nitrate and chloride combine to form photographic paper.
• Printing Process:
  • Negatives (e.g., collodion negatives) placed in contact with sensitized paper.
  • Exposed to sunlight to create images.

Characteristics of Albumen Prints

• Image is suspended on a layer above the paper, unlike salted or platinum prints.
• Results in a precise, crisp image.
• Initially pristine prints can fade and turn yellow over time.

Historical Importance and Mass Production

• Facilitated the rise of industrial photographic houses.
• Enabled mass marketing and production of photographs.
• Was the predominant printing paper from 1850 to about 1890.

Cultural Impact

• Influenced the production of photographically illustrated materials, such as Bibles.
• Became a key medium for conveying and shaping knowledge and information.
• Signaled the beginning of photographs as essential to documenting and experiencing events.

Conclusion

• The albumen print was a significant technological advancement in photography.
• Its characteristics and ease of distribution made it influential in the 19th-century photographic and cultural landscape.