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THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. Vol. XII. No. 520.—August 21,1868. CONTENTS. PAGE Likeness in Portraiture: Liability of Sitters.... 403 A Chapter in the Early History of Photography 401 Correspondence—Photographic Notes on the Continent—White Pigment in Carbon Printing 405 Talk in the Studio 406 To Correspondents 407 Photographs Registered 408 PAGE Mons. Adam-Salomon in London a 397 The American Bromide Patent 398 Critical Notices 399 Photographic Printing in Silver, Theoretical and Practical. By W. T. Bovey 399 Sketches of Travel from a Sun-Painter’s Portfolio. By Stephen Thompson 401 Pictorial Eflect in Photography. By H. P. Robinson 402 MONS. ADAM-SALOMON IN LONDON. Mons. Adam-Salomon has just returned to Paris, after a week or two spent in London, and we have had the pleasure of spending a good deal of time in his company, listening to his remarks on the art and practice of photography. We have also had the good fortune to receive further examples of his charming portraiture, some of which exceed, if possible, any of the wondrous pictures which we have before noticed, and which some of our readers have had opportunity of examining. Here we have a portrait of a noble little fellow, in a half sitting, half-reclining position, the treatment of which was suggested, M. Salomon informs us, by a picture by Sir Thomas Lawrence—probably the portrait of Master Lambert. Every part of the picture seems literally perfection. Whilst the general effect is one of extreme vigour, richness, and relief, on examining the details every part is found full of the most exquisitely delicate half-tone and modelling. A fair child, with profusion of light hair, a light dress, large white collar, white cuffs, and white stockings, there is never theless not a point so large as a pin’s head of pure white in the picture, fine half-tone marking the gradations of every white object, the texture and colour of each being rendered by tones very distinct from those of the fair flesh, every portion of which is most perfectly modelled. The grace, ease, simplicity, and naturalness with which the child rests his fine head on a pretty hand, and the sweet unconscious ness of his expression, cannot be well described, but they are such as satisfactorily illustrate the fitness of photo graphy, under favourable circumstances and in capable hands, for producing the highest art results in this direction. The composition and chiaroscuro of the picture seem simply faultless. Another picture, of a totally different subject, is also a fine example of a similar kind of treatment, securing per fect gradation of tone, detail, texture, and modelling in light materials, without a single patch of white. This is a portrait of a lady, a brunette, with dark eyes and hair, in a white dress of tulle trimmed with white satin. Every undulation of every fold ; every thread, in fact, in the light, soft, flowing drapery is perfectly rendered; every play of light and reflected light in the satin trimmings perfectly registered; but everything is full of tone : except a glancing light here and there, no patch of white is present much larger than the sparkling point of brightness on the pearls on the lady's bracelet. All this is secured without any sacrifice of perfect detail and richness in the dark hair and the dark accessories in the picture, the whole being singularly har monious. Wo have not often seen a photograph which so thoroughly illustrated the possibility of a degree of perfect lighting rarely attained. On examining every part of this picture, it would seem as if the light had been especially arranged to secure relief in that part. The delicate white arm which rests against the white dress is a perfect study of modelling and roundness, so nearly like the dress in colour, yet so different in texture, and so boldly in relief, it would seem, on examining it, as if the light had been arranged for that effect alone ; yet further examination proves every other part of the picture as perfectly lighted and effec tively rendered in its kind. It is not a little singular that whilst great brilliancy is the first quality which strikes an observer in M. Salomon’s pictures, yet the study of tone and harmony is that which mostly engages his attention. In speaking of tone here we do not mean tint or colour, but of fullness of gradation throughout the picture. No degree of vigour or of mis called brilliancy obtained by great contrasts of black and white could compensate, in his estimation, for the absence of harmony. We were strongly reminded, in a conversa tion with him, of some remarks of Mr. Eej lander’s on the same subject. If, by any chance, he remarked, it was neces sary to print from a hard negative, he would prefer to ex pose the paper to the light for a minute or two, in order to degrade the tint, and so reduce the scale of tones, rather than have a picture with crude contrasts of black and white not united by proper gradations of half-tone. Whilst maintaining and so admirably proving the capa bilities of photography for art expression, M. Salomon, in common with most men possessed of the faculty of creative art, feels deeply the tyrannical conditions and unplastic character which belong to photography. The photographer, he remarked, in endeavouring to produce a picture, is a slave to his light, his lens, his chemicals, his sitter ; the perverse ness or imperfection of any of these may defeat all his efforts to realize an idea and produce a work of art; and often, when exhausted and disappointed, he has retired for relief, rest, and tranquillity, to his sculptural atelier, where the modelling clay answered to every touch ; no rigidly awkward muscles or perverse expression, no move ment, no limited range of focus, no chemicals yielding only results out of all harmony with the aim of the artist, or giving negatives full of spots, streaks, or pinholes. Never theless, photography, with all its difficulties, is the subject of his intense enthusiasm, and its conditions, chemical and mechanical, arc"carefully studied, with a view to coax from it its most willing service io art purposes. He prepares his own collodion, and, in answer to a question as to the propor tion of bromides and iodides ho employs, wo loam that he thinks it worth while to use constant variety to suit varying conditions of subject and of light. So also with his deve loper and with other controllable preparations. His most usual formula for developing is, however, as follows :— Ammonia sulphate of iron ... 7 5 grains Glacial acetic acid ... ... 75 minims Sulphate of copper 7 grains Water , 3 ounces.
