Nicéphore Niépce
1765–1833 · France
Making light endure.
Explorer l’œuvre ↓
Nicéphore Niépce · 1827
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
The story
Niépce sought to fix images produced by the camera obscura and developed heliography, a process based on bitumen’s sensitivity to light. His Point de vue du Gras, made in the 1820s, is among the earliest surviving photographic images. He entered a partnership with Daguerre in 1829. His career reminds us that photography emerged through successive material experiments rather than an instantaneous invention.
Understanding the work
Observe the plate as an object as much as a view: uncertain contrasts, the metallic surface and exposure time are part of what the image teaches us.
Key works and series
Point de vue du Gras; heliographic research.
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.
Nicéphore Niépce · 1827
Domaine public · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
