A hand-coloured stereo daguerreotype of Susan Maria Hamond (1832–1927), photographed by Antoine Claudet. Daguerreotypes were black and white images and could therefore not please everyone. The images were sometimes hand coloured to compete with the colourful paintings of the time and satisfy customers. Colouring of stereo daguerreotypes required skilful artists because both images had to be coloured the same way in order not to reduce the stereo effect. Claudet was renowned for his high-quality hand-coloured daguerreotypes.
Specifications
| Photographer: | Antoine Claudet |
| Sitter: | Susan Maria Hamond |
| Location: | London, England |
| Date: | March 1857 |
| Process: | Daguerreotype |
| Primary support: | Silvered copper plate covered by glass |
| Dimensions (W X L): | 8.5 x 17 cm |
Antoine Claudet
Antoine François Jean Claudet was born in 1797 in Lyon, France. After the invention of the daguerreotype process in 1839, he was eager to learn the new photography process. He moved to Paris, took lessons from Daguerre himself and bought a licence to use the process in England. Claudet opened a portrait studio in London on the roof of the Adelaide Gallery. He increased the sensitivity of the daguerreotype plates, allowing shorter exposure times, which improved the quality of his portraits. Claudet became one of the most prominent and respected daguerreotypists in London. After the introduction of the Brewster-type stereoscope in 1849, he started making stereo daguerreotypes, and he became a great promoter and driver of stereoscopy. Claudet opened his last photo studio in 1851. The studio was called “Temple of Photography” and was located at 107 Regent Street in London. He died in 1867. Soon after his death, his studio burned down, destroying thousands of his daguerreotypes and negatives.