A Photographic Positive 1853

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A Photographic Positive 1853

A mother seeks assistance in regards to her daughter accidentally spilling photographic chemicals, in particular staining her face from nitrate of silver. Silver Nitrate is used within the wet plate collodion process of developing photographs. The man is stated to administer potassium cyanide to resolve the problem - which is highly toxic. Date: 1853

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Media ID 23210588

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1850s 1853 Chemicals Chemist Collodion Counter Cyanide Developing Nitrate Pharmacist Pharmacy Photographic Photos Positive Potassium Sarcasm Shopkeeper

EDITORS COMMENTS
In this 19th-century scene, we witness a heartfelt moment between a concerned mother and a daring chemist in the midst of a photographic disaster. The year is 1853, and the photographic process of choice is the wet plate collodion method. With a determined look in her eyes, the mother approaches the counter of a bustling pharmacy or photographic shop, cradling her distressed daughter in her arms. Her young daughter's face, once radiant with innocence, now bears the unwelcome mark of a silver nitrate stain, a common mishap during the developing process of collodion photography. The chemist, with a knowing smile and a calm demeanor, reaches for a vial of potassium cyanide, a highly toxic substance. The mother's eyes widen in alarm, but the chemist assures her that this potent chemical will restore her daughter's complexion. With a swift and skilled hand, he mixes the cyanide with water, creating a cleansing solution. The mother, trusting the expertise of the chemist, applies the concoction to her daughter's face, and the stain begins to fade. This humorous and slightly alarming cartoon captures the essence of the risks and rewards of early photographic processes, as well as the trust placed in the knowledge and abilities of the chemist or shopkeeper during this era of burgeoning photography. Though the scene may seem chaotic and even dangerous to modern sensibilities, it serves as a reminder of the pioneering spirit and ingenuity that drove the development of photography in the 1850s.

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