Impressed by light: British photographs from paper negatives, 1840-1860 / Roger Taylor; biographical dictionary by Larry J. Schaaf in collaboration with Roger Taylor

New York, Washington, New Haven; London: Metropolitan Museum of Art; National Gallery of Art; Yale University Press, 2007. 1st edition. Hardcover. Fine cloth copy in an equally fine dust-wrapper. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new and still in publisher's protective wrapping. Physical description; xiv, 438 p.: ill., ports.; 26 x 30 cm. Notes; Produced to coincide with an exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 24 September - 30 December; the National Gallery of Art, Washington 3 February - 4 May 2008; and at the Musee d'Orsay, Paris 26 May - 7 September 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 414-426) and index. Venue: Published on the occasion of the exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 24 Sept. - 30 Dec. 2007; the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., 3 Feb. - 4 May 2008; and the Mus�e d'Orsay, Paris, 26 May - 7 Sept. 2008. Contents; Photography and an age of paradox -- The formative years: the calotype in the 1840s -- The great exhibition of 1851 -- Battling patents and gaining legitimacy -- The calotype finds its place -- Subjects fit for the camera -- British sensibilities 1855-1857 -- Echoes of the grand tour -- Under an Indian sky -- Commercialism advances, the calotype declines -- Epilogue: Revivals of the paper negative after the 1860s -- Biographical dictionary of British calotypists. Summary; When photography appeared shortly before 1840, the metal-plate daguerreotype, invented in France, was first to achieve popularity. But the process simultaneously developed in England for capturing an image on a paper negative--from which many positives could be printed--provided the foundation on which photography would build for the next 150 years. This beautiful book presents more than 120 photographs printed from paper negatives, or calotypes, most never before published. The entire course of the paper negative's ""golden age"" is described, from its laborious invention by William Henry Fox Talbot to competition with French photographers and commercial practitioners. Aesthetically ambitious, these richly textured calotypes were created by photographers both eminent and virtually unknown. Also included is an invaluable biographical dictionary of more than 500 British calotypists. Subjects; Calotype - Great Britain - History - 19th century - Exhibitions. Photography - Great Britain - History - 19th century - Exhibitions. NEGATIVES - PHOTOGRAPHY. Photography, British - 19th century - 1840s-1860s. Dates covered: 1840-1860. Photographic equipment & techniques. United Kingdom, Great Britain; c 1800 to c 1900. PHOTOGRAPHY / Techniques / General. PHOTOGRAPHY / History.