After publishing the last post, I became curious about the date of the photo. I have taken a few art history courses, but can’t seem to cement in my brain just when photographic images were invented. The photo I included must have come from a daguerreotype, since the images is supposedly from the 1860’s.
I do recall learning about this photo taken by the Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, the inventor of photography. It is from 1837!
My dad, born and raised in SF would love to see this photo of the “city” from 1851:
Charles Darwin and son, photo taken in 1842, when Darwin was 33 (my age!) How’d the kid stay still during the long exposure time required? Probably used this special chair to steady his head. (To think, I complain about having to sharpen the fuzzy photos of my toddler through an online photo editor.)
So, if you hadn’t guessed I am a little obsessed with Wikimedia Commons. When my brain isn’t so wrapped up in art show hanging details I’ll try to come up with a bit more original content!
