U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Michallet paper

Michallet paper


  • To: Alt List <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
  • Subject: Michallet paper
  • From: "Christina Z. Anderson" <zphoto@montana.net>
  • Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 10:21:10 -0600
  • Comments: "alt-photo-process mailing list"
  • Delivered-to: alt-photo-process-l-archive@www.usask.ca
  • List-id: alt-photo-process mailing list <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
  • Reply-to: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca

Dear All,
I found some examples of lined paper in use around the turn of the 20th century, and have posted them at the URL below. I cannot find my other examples that are REALLY prominent lines spaced further apart. I think these papers might be Lalanne or Ingres, as per the quote below. But at any rate, I found the answer to my question of why the paper was in vogue at that time.

http://christinazanderson.com/Text_page.cfm?pID=2076

Here also are some quotes from 1897 and 1898 and 1905 which explains why it was used I suppose:

"The easiest of all papers to coat is perhaps that known as Michallet, because of its parallel lines. This and the Lalanne and Ingres papers give excellent results, and, moreover, have a quality of their own which is especially suitable to the soft, diffused image which is so much appreciated..."
and
"Michallet is a French paper intended originally for charcoal or chalk drawings, fairly heavy, of sufficiently tough texture to be easily handled. It has a peculiar close rib or grain which aids some effects, and a pronounce marking about every inch, and running in the opposite direction to the ribbing, which is often inconvenient. It is technically described as a "laid" paper, and does not need sizing....It is so easily coated that it may be suitable chosen to commence with."
and
"Michallet is a paper with a fine parallel grain, and is well known in our schools of art. The grain gives a pleasing diffusion to large-sized pictures. It is very suitable, and the pigment leaves the paper freely. Lalanne and Ingres are similar to the Michallet but the parallel grain is smaller and finer."

I find that a distinct parallel texture of a much finer nature occurs in Fabriano Soft Press; though I myself do not prefer it, there are some listees who do and it is very easy to coat. Maybe I'll revisit it.
Chris

__________________

Christina Z. Anderson
http://christinaZanderson.com/
__________________