Radiocarbon Measurements on Early Photographs
Methods Development for Testing Waxed Paper Negatives
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9243537 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Elyse Canosa, Gregory Hodgins, Gawain Weaver |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue | 3–4 |
| Publication date | 2013-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Radiocarbon (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16105 |
| OpenAlex | W4236268817, W1983438729 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 5 |
The earliest years of photography were full of experimentation and innovation; many photographers from this era carefully documented their experimental procedures. Consequently, it is possible to reproduce historically accurate photographs and negatives today. One of the oldest forms of photographic technology is the waxed paper negative, popular during the mid-19th century. It consists of a photosensitive sheet of writing paper coated with a layer of wax to render it transparent. Modern waxed paper negatives made using 19th century paper can potentially pass for historically significant 19th century negatives. This poses problems to museums and others interested in studying or collecting authentic 19th century photographic images. We have developed methods for separating the organic components of waxed paper negatives and measuring their radiocarbon content as a means of distinguishing between modern and historic waxed paper negatives. By detecting the presence or lack of bomb carbon in a given negative, this process can act as a tool for authentication. We have mainly focused on the extraction and 14 C measurement of the wax component, reasoning that modern photographers might have easy access to 19th century paper, but would less likely use 19th century beeswax
Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Late 19th century · Negative · Photography · Radiocarbon dating · Visual arts · Wax · Archaeological Research and Protection · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Computer Science · Conservation Techniques and Studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · History · Materials Science · Philosophy · Geology
| Citations per year | 0.11 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2017 - 2017 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |