U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Mucotypes

Re: Mucotypes



On 14 Dec 2007, at 08:53, Malin Fabbri wrote:

Wow! Is there someone who actually has printed a photograph with this
process? Can it be seen somewhere?
See the references to Henri de Lacaze-Duthiers in my previous post; to which may be added this excellent article:

Edward Eigen, 'On Purple and the Genesis of Photography - or the Natural History of an Exposure', in 'Ocean Flowers: Impressions from Nature' Eds. Carol Armstrong and Catherine de Zeger, (The Drawing Center NY and Princeton University Press, 2004).

This book is exquisitely illustrated - including 'mucotypes'.

It seems that the 'First Photogram' was made by this process in 1711 - but it's author, René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur (1683-1757), didn't realise the cause was photochemical, so missed out on being the inventor of photography. There's also a report by a Brit, William Cole, on a photogenic "purple fish" in 1685, who might have precedence.

For the considerable revival of interest in gastropod dyes, because of their scriptural significance for Jewish ritual vestments; see:

http://www.tekhelet.com/brochure.htm

http://www.borhatorah.org/article1.html

http://www.ottmall.com/mj_ht_arch/v8/mj_v8i12.html

http://www.erudit.org/revue/ms/2004/v20/n5/008415ar.html

I live as far from the sea as it's possible to be in these Islands.
I was hoping that a coastal-dwelling List Member with a wet suit might give it a try...

Mike

Mike Ware
mike@mikeware.co.uk
http://www.mikeware.co.uk



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