Depth of Field: The Universe of the Daguerreotype
Charles Fontayne and William S. Porter’s 1848 Cincinnati Riverfront Panorama is both an iconic image and scientific marvel. The human stories within the daguerreotype still live and reveal themselves anew with each fresh dive into city directories, newspaper articles, and historical archives. Through the lens of microscopes, ever-evolving in strength and precision, viewers can witness the ongoing chemical processes on daguerreotype plates. Images from these microscopes reveal how a combination of elements, introduced in the initial development process over 170 years ago, continue to engage and interact with the environment.
This project aids in the understanding of deterioration of plates over time and the development of promising conservation methods to preserve these treasures of history.
Curator: Sara Williams, Reference Librarian for Arts and Special Collections, Genealogy and Local History at Main Library
Artists: Charles Fontayne and William S. Porter
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Charles Fontayne and William S. Porter, 1848 Cincinnati Riverfront Panorama (magnified), 1848. Daguerreotype, 9½ x 7 inches. Courtesy of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
Venue Details
Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library: Main Branch
800 Vine St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 369-6900
Mon–Tue 10am–8pm, Wed–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 1–5pm
Free to the Public
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