PHOTOGRAPHS
Unknown
U.S.
Untitled
c. 1890s
Collodion printing-out paper print
3 5/16 x 11 7/8 in. (8.4 x 30.2 cm) image and sheet size
Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection
FA 2001.157.5

Introduced in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer, the collodion process had several advantages over previous photographic processes. Unlike the earlier daguerreotype and calotype, the collodion negative captured sharper details and could produce multiple prints. It also needed very little exposure time and was cheaper than other methods. However, the technique was a very difficult one. As soon as the plate was coated with the photo-sensitive liquid, it had to be exposed and developed while it was still wet. Known as the wet-plate process, it was quite a feat if attempted outside of the studio. Outdoor photographs such as this one would have required portable darkrooms for their immediate development. -- Label copy for 150 Works of Art, October 1, 2005 to February 26, 2006.