Brought to Light: Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900

Photography and the Invisible 1840 - 1900

A very peculiar and interesting book to read.

UK/Europe: Buy 'Photography and the Invisible' from Amazon.co.uk

USA: Buy 'Photography and the Invisible' from Amazon.com

 Read the Review by Elizabeth Graves

Review

"[This catalog] unearths rare 19th-century scientific prints, everything from an x-ray of a snake digesting a frog to pictures of electricity that could have been taken in Dr. Frankenstein''s lab."

-Richard B. Woodward, Wall Street Journal (Richard B. Woodward Wall Street Journal )

Product Description

Brought to Light invites readers to step back to a time when photography, X-rays, and movies were new, when forays into the world beneath the skin or the realm beyond our everyday vision captivated scientists and the public alike. In this book, accounts of scientific experimentation blend with stories of showmanship to reveal how developments in 19th-century technology could enlighten as well as frighten and amaze. Through a series of 200 vintage images—produced by photographers, scientists, and amateur inventors—this book ultimately traces the rise of popular science.

The images demonstrate early experiments with microscopes, telescopes, electricity and magnetism, motion studies, X-rays and radiation, and spirit photography. We learn how these pictures circulated among the public, whether through the press, world’s fairs, or theaters. What started out as scientific progress, however, often took on the trappings of magic and superstition, as photography was enlisted to offer visual evidence of clairvoyance, spirits, and other occult influences.

With beautifully reproduced plates and engaging narratives, this book embodies the aesthetic pleasures and excitement of the tale it tells.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (November 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 978-0300142105
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.7 x 1 inches