Autochromes
The autochrome was the world’s first practical color photography process, invented in 1904 by the brothers August (1862 to 1954) and Louis Lumiere (1864 to 1948). Their father ran a successful photographic business in Lyon, France and the pair began working with him in the early 1870′s. In 1882 they started their own business making and selling dry plates using a process that Louis had invented and by the early 1890′s they had turned the small business into a thriving enterprise. They experimented with various color processes during the 1890′s but it was not until 1904 that they patented the Autochrome process. The patent for the process was taken out in the US in 1906.
The process involved the use of a glass plate as a base medium, which was coated with a solution of colored potato starch. The brother’s process consisted of four basic steps; firstly minute grains of potato starch were individually colored either red, blue or green and then mixed together. Secondly, a varnish covered glass slide was coated with this colored potato starch mixture. Thirdly, the slide was covered with another coat of varnish. Finally the slide was treated with a layer of orthochromatic gelatin bromide emulsion; this in essence was the film part of the slide.
The slide was placed in a camera with the orthochromatic gelatin bromide emulsion side away from the lens and the picture could then be taken. The exposure of the plate allowed the light to pass through the potato starch mixture with the starch acting as a filter and the various colored particles picking up the light. The exposed negative plate was then developed in a darkroom much in the same way as would be done today; this produced a positive image on a glass plate. The final product was a little dark but the overall effect was quite dramatic. Up until that point photographs had been in black and white but the new process allowed people to see images in color.
Autochromes, though revolutionary for the time had some limitations. Due to the long exposure times images could only be produced in brightly lit situations. This may explain why many of the images seen today are outdoors scenes. The expense of producing autochrome plates also curtailed their widespread use.
Autochromes are highly collectable. They were produced in many different sizes ranging from a 2 inch by 2-inch slide to a 15 inch by 18-inch slide. As you would expect, larger plates are quite rare due to their fragile nature, as such they command a premium price. The range of subject matter is extensive with floral subjects being the most common. As usual the price you can expect to pay for autochromes will largely depend on subject matter, quality and size of the image. Prices can range from as little as $20 for a small image to many hundreds for a larger plate of an interesting subject.
The autochrome remained a popular medium well into the 1930′s. It went out of favor due to increased availability of color roll film. However basic this first attempt at color photography may now seem, the process remains highly sought after because of it’s inherent aesthetic quality and it’s importance in the development of photography from black and white to color.
reference note by p4A contributing editor Robert Ginns.