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Lot Essay
The daguerreotypes in this and the following twenty-one lots show early, quite possibly the earliest, views in and around the town of Nantes on the Loire in western France. They were commissioned, from an as yet unidentified photographer, for use as the basis of engravings to be published in a series entitled La Loire Inférieure, Vues de Nantes et de ses Environs. The daguerreotypes have remained in the collection of descendants of the publisher and their survival, along with that of several of the plates from the publication, provides a rare opportunity to compare the original photographs with the finished engravings. In this case it would seem that the publishers felt little need to embellish the photographer's work as the engravings add relatively few details and remain very faithful to the daguerreotypes.
The accuracy and quality of detail capable of the daguerreotype made it the perfect medium for recording the architecture of towns and cities, and it was used for this purpose from the year of its invention in 1839. The major limitation was the fact that each example was unique and it could not be reproduced as multiples. At the same time it was quickly realised by publishers that there was commercial potential in using daguerreotypes as the basis for engraved views and it was not long before books of such engravings were being offered for sale.
The text on the reverse of the wrappers for this series advertises a total of ten parts, each with two views (see lot 40). The date of the publication is not given, but other books advertised on the same sheet are dated 1840 and 1842. Many of the daguerreotypes are dated either directly on the image or on the mount, all within the period 1840-1843, suggesting the publication date is unlikely to be much later. This would place the series within the first few years of photography-based publishing alongside such works as Paris et ses environs reproduits par le dageurreotype, 1840 (see lot...) and Excursions daguerriennes, représentant les vues et les nombreux monuments anciens et moderns les plus remarquables du globe, 1841-43.
The accuracy and quality of detail capable of the daguerreotype made it the perfect medium for recording the architecture of towns and cities, and it was used for this purpose from the year of its invention in 1839. The major limitation was the fact that each example was unique and it could not be reproduced as multiples. At the same time it was quickly realised by publishers that there was commercial potential in using daguerreotypes as the basis for engraved views and it was not long before books of such engravings were being offered for sale.
The text on the reverse of the wrappers for this series advertises a total of ten parts, each with two views (see lot 40). The date of the publication is not given, but other books advertised on the same sheet are dated 1840 and 1842. Many of the daguerreotypes are dated either directly on the image or on the mount, all within the period 1840-1843, suggesting the publication date is unlikely to be much later. This would place the series within the first few years of photography-based publishing alongside such works as Paris et ses environs reproduits par le dageurreotype, 1840 (see lot...) and Excursions daguerriennes, représentant les vues et les nombreux monuments anciens et moderns les plus remarquables du globe, 1841-43.