Contemporary Daguerreotype plate size 5\"x7\" gilded reverse painted cover glass For Sale

This daguerreotype is a view of the Pantheon, Paris. I created this daguerreotype in 2018. The plate is sensitized with Iodine and Bromine and is Mercury developed on the spot in Paris. The cover glass is reverse hand painted with the same technique as in the 19th century. The dimensions of the Daguerreotype plate are 5.1x7.1 inch. The dimensions of the cassette are 5.9x7.9 inch. On the back of the cassette you will find the Certificate of Authenticity. It is signed by the artist and the character \"K\" is stamped in sealing-wax. This character is related to 2018 (I started in 2006 with the character \"A\"). The exposure time was 1 minute 35 seconds at f16.The Panthéon is a building inthe Latin Quarter in Paris, France. It was originally built as achurch dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châssecontaining her relics but, after many changes, now functions as asecular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished Frenchcitizens. It is an early example of neo-classicism, with a façademodelled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a dome that owes someof its character to Bramante\'s Tempietto.Located in the 5th arrondissement on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève,the Panthéon looks out over all of Paris. Designer Jacques-GermainSoufflot had the intention of combining the lightness and brightnessof the Gothic cathedral with classical principles, but its role as amausoleum required the great Gothic windows to be blocked. J\'ai saisi la lumière au passage et je l\'ai enchaînée !
(I seized the light, I captured its flight!)These were the famous words spoken in Paris in 1839 by the inventor of the photography: Louis Daguerre. The photography was born. A photograph was made on a layer of pure silver and took 6 to 8 hours to craft. The daguerreotype, as it was named to the inventor, lasted for around 20 years. Due to its very difficult process and hard labor it was taken over by more practical methods invented later on.Nowadays only a couple of true daguerreotypist exist in the world. I am one of them. I started in 2006 after years of practicing as professional, full time daguerreotypist.Every daguerreotype is a unique piece. It is completely made by hand. No machinery is involved.
A 99,9% pure silver layer is polished by hand for several hours. Sensitized, exposed and developed. After the development it is covered with a 24 Krt gold layer to protect and gives it a warmer tint. It is sealed in a frame protected by a hand painted cover glass (silver turns black if it is exposed to air). Underneath the cover glass the Daguerreotype is separated by a paper Matt. This Daguerreotype is fully sealed in a cassette. The cassette is fully prepared according the International Conservation Standards. This is an absolute unique piece of art. No two daguerreotypes will ever be the same because they are exposed one at the time inside a camera.A daguerreotype produces a magic view. It shines like a mirror. Depending on what it reflects, for e.g. if you are standing in front of it with a white shirt, is produces a negative image (like the filmstrip you have with non digital camera\'s). If the reflection is darker you see an image like a photograph. Sometimes it is like a hologram.Because a daguerreotype is completely made by hand, small artifacts like small spots can be present. Also, due to hand polishing the silver surface small lines (grooves) are part of the process.We will carefully ship this daguerreotype (registered mail including insurance).

About the Artists:

After 22 year being a professionalphoto journalist, Marinus Ortelee decided to make a drastic careerswitch. He started as a professional Daguerrotypist in 2006. He is frequently askedin Europe for performing Portrait days, demonstration, lecturing andexpertise. His work has been exhibited in Paris, Washington, NewYork, Brussels, and Berlin. Frequently articles about his workappear in European magazines and newspapers. Marinus owns his own day light studio in The Netherlands.