William Henry Fox Talbot and the Promise of Photography

A true 'gentleman scientist' of the Victorian period, Talbot combined his knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, and optics, with his interest in art, botany, and classics to invent the paper-based photography that dominated the field for most of the 19th and 20th centuries. Due to the fragile nature of the photographs, exhibitions of Talbot’s work are rare. * Wall Street International Magazine *
As Dan Leers, the curator of the Carnegie Museum of Art’s ... exhibition “William Henry Fox Talbot and the Promise of Photography,” explains, to display certain Talbot images would be to destroy them. To measure and control potential damage, Leers recently deployed a device called a spectrophotometer, which is used to help track degradation from exposure to light. He says that, if a reading of an image indicates any risk of “deep-sixing,” that particular photograph will no longer be displayed -- Max Campbell * New Yorker *
Talbot’s final innovations in photography entailed his incorporation of photographs into printed books. The reproducibility of his calotypes—and his photoglyphic and photographic engravings which printed images in ink—represented an entirely new way of disseminating pictures. Contemporary photographers continue to grapple with capturing, fixing, and sharing an image in the digital era. As a result, Talbot’s work feels as relevant today as it did 175 years ago. * ArtDaily *
With its luminous reproductions of Talbot’s fragile works, this publication demonstrates that early photography required a blend of magic-making and innovation -- Joanne Klimovich Harrop * Tribune Review *
A beautiful, small-format book that serves as a primer on the work of Talbot, featuring an introductory essay by curator Dan Leers and thematic groupings elucidated by noted Talbot scholar Larry Schaaf. With its luminous reproductions of Talbot’s fragile works, this publication (hardcover, 96 pages, 50 illustrations) demonstrates that early photography required a form of magic-making and innovation that continues to inspire people today. -- Michael Pritchard * British Photographic History *