By Merry Foresta and John Wood, published for an exhibition in 1995 by the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Cloth cover with gold foil imprint on cover and spine, 7” x 9”, 240 pages, illustrated with color images, indexed. Very good condition. From the library of the late William Turner.

Invented in 1839, daguerreotypes were “hard” photographic images recorded on silver plate. This book provides a visual reflection of the 19th century. Containing essays by Wood, a noted historian of early photography, who suggests that daguerreotypists regarded themselves as artists and recognized the artistic value inherent in photography. Foresta, Smithsonian curator and organizer of the 1995 exhibit, discusses the immense popularity of the medium in America. Selections from newspapers, magazines, and diaries provide first-hand accounts from artistic, scientific, and philosophical perspectives.

“Secrets of the Dark Chamber” contains 152 color plates of hand-tinted daguerreotypes (many never before published) from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art. They include portraits, landscapes, and scenes of daily life produced in America from 1839 until the Civil War. [jet] [ph:L]

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