John, This article is mentioned in a letter to Talbot from his mother on 30 Apr 1839. A note by the editors of the correspondence project states, This was not a photomechanical reproduction, but rather a wood engravers skillful interpretation
Talbot's correspondence is at http://www.foxtalbot.arts.gla.ac.uk/letters/ correspondents.asp . You can search it by text, correspondent or date. Whether this is the first representation of a photographic image in publication or not I'm not sure, but only three months after Daguerre and Talbot's announcements, it's got to be pretty early. You sure have some cool publications down there. Nick >===== Original Message From John Ptak <jfjp...@yahoo.com> ===== >Hello all. >This may be slightly off target but someone may have >the answer to this funny little history of photography >query. >My question is in regards to an article by Golding >Bird in "The Mirrour" (London) beginning April 20, >1839 and continued in 5 more parts through June 1839. >It is a very early discussion of Daguerre's >process--the quirky bit is that on the front cover of >the first article there is an image of a "photo-genic >drawing" (a botanical negative)made by Bird. Two >questions: does anyone know of the first time a >photograph is "illustrated" (not photographically)in a >mass/trade publication? (It is an odd question in >itself because it *is* an engraving/litho of a photo >which may mean nothing in itself...) This has not been >an easy matter to settle. Secondly, I wonder if it is >possible if the "photo-genic" image is *not* a >lithograph as I believe but some sort of photographic >process? This image is larger than any other image >that appears in this journal for 20 years (I have 45 >years worth), and the ink is not only (unique to this >publication) brown but rather thick, easily osmosed to >the rear of the paper. >There are all sorts of refs to the first image of a >human face, the first of the moon, etc, in a long line >of photographic firsts, but none refer to a simple >first illustration of a photographic image. > >Any help? > >Thanks to all for your indulgence. > >John Ptak > >===== >JF Ptak >255 Cumberland Ave >Asheville, NC 28801 >USA > Nick Dvoracek Director of Media Services University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Voice: 920-424-7363 Fax:920-424-7324 http://idea.uwosh.edu/media_services/home.html http://idea.uwosh.edu/nick/handouts.htm
