Louis Daguerre
1787–1851 · France
A unique image on a plate.
Explorer l’œuvre ↓
Louis Daguerre · between 24 April 1838 and 4 May 1838 (or possibly 1837)
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
The story
A painter and creator of diorama spectacles, Daguerre continued the photographic research begun with Niépce. His process, made public in 1839, produced a detailed image on a silver-plated copper sheet. The daguerreotype rapidly transformed portraiture and the circulation of likenesses. Each plate is a unique object: unlike the negative-positive system, it does not allow multiple prints to be made directly from the same exposure.
Understanding the work
Look at the details but also the reflections on the surface: a daguerreotype plate changes appearance with the light and viewing angle. The experience depends on its particular material qualities.
Key works and series
Daguerreotypes; Boulevard du Temple.
Sources & further exploration
A journey through images.
1 workClick an image to enlarge it. Captions, collections and reuse conditions appear below each work. Captions describe the photographs; the source records retain catalogue titles and provide context.
Louis Daguerre · between 24 April 1838 and 4 May 1838 (or possibly 1837)
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
