1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy Vie Wilson. Hey. This 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: is a follow up to our episode on Louis de Game, 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: But unlike most of our two partners, these two episodes 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: are intended to each stand on their own, So if 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: you haven't listened to that one yet, you should be 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: fine in this one. Similarly, if you're like I don't 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: want to hear about Robert Cornelius, you could skip it. 10 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: You're not gonna miss anything from the gear story. I 11 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: hope you do listen, though. Um I periodically see this 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: image of Robert Cornelius circulate on Twitter, where people discuss 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: how hot they think this man was, and he does 14 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: look mighty dashing in that image. But the fact that 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: this photo exists is in and of itself, really pretty astonishing. 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Cornelius was smart and inventive in ways that do not 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: often come up in brief social media mentions. Yes, he 18 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: absolutely innovated in photography, but he also did some pretty 19 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: interesting work with lighting fixtures of all things. So today 20 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: we're going to cover how this man and some similarly 21 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: minded colleagues in Philadelphia started experimenting with the gears process 22 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: as well as other aspects of his life. Robert Cornelius 23 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: is born March first, eighteen o nine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 24 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: His parents were Christian and Sarah Cornelius. Christian had emigrated 25 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: to the U s from Amsterdam in seventeen eighty three 26 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: and had started a lighting and chandelier business. As a kid, 27 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: Robert attended private schools and showed a natural interest and 28 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: proficiency in chemistry. Gerard Truce, who had been one of 29 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: the founders of the American Philosophical Society and part of 30 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: the New Harmony Indiana Oa Nite community that we covered 31 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: during one of our live shows, was his chemistry teacher. 32 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: As Robert started working in the family business in the 33 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: early eighteen thirties, Roberts chemistry studies served him well because 34 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: he became an expert in metal plating, in particular. In 35 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty two, at the age of twenty three, Robert 36 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: married a young woman named Harriet come Ley, with whom 37 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: he had eight children, three sons and five daughters. Those 38 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: children were Robert, born roughly two years after the wedding. 39 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: Sarah Ann Charles born in eighteen thirty nine, John Constance, Harriet, 40 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: Fanny and Helen. And aside from those years of birth 41 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: that I just mentioned, the exact dates of birth are 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: unknown for the rest of the children. By autumn of 43 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty nine, at a time when Robert had settled 44 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: into both his career in lighting and his family life, 45 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: information about Louis Degare's photo process was made available to 46 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: the curious minds of the United States. This ran in 47 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: multiple papers under the header on photography in the National 48 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: Exette of Philadelphia. The article opened with quote, the art 49 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: of transferring the outline of an object or the shades 50 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: of a picture to chemically prepared paper, simply by the 51 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: action of solar light, has attracted, especially in France and England, 52 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 1: the attention of scientific men. It goes on to say 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: that there have been a number of articles about it, 54 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: and that now there's a Frenchman who quote has studied 55 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: the art with success. This article continues, quote His explanation 56 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: of the process is very simple and maybe understood by 57 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 1: anyone who has the taste and inclination to make an experiment. 58 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: Although in its infancy we have seen specimens of drawing 59 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: by the photographic mode perfect in outline and shades. Either landscapes, 60 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: flowers or figures may be copied with equal facility, and 61 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: as the occupation calls not for an artist's skill, anyone 62 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: may make the attempt. This article is lengthy and in 63 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: spite of touting its own simplicity, and it goes on 64 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: to describe exactly how this all works, first with a 65 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: general overview and then a step by step description. The 66 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: general description reads quote, when silver is dissolved in nitric acid, 67 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: a colorless solution of lunar caustic is produced, which, when 68 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: evaporated to dryness and exposed to light, becomes dark, the 69 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: color depending on the intensity of the light and the 70 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: time it has been exposed. Accordingly, paper besmeared with the 71 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: solution is darkened, but if any object be put on 72 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: it so as to prevent the transmission of light, the 73 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: parts covered will remain white or be tinged according to 74 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: the density of the object. Hence the art of photography. 75 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: The next several columns of this article, uh which him 76 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: it takes up many columns in the paper, are as 77 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: we said, dedicated to discussion of each step, which they 78 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: lay out as one methods of preparing the paper. Two 79 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: methods of taking the impressions, three preservation of the impressions, 80 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: and then there is an additional section titled method of 81 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: taking impressions in which the light and shades are not reversed. Basically, 82 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: all of this was all images for the most part, 83 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: initially had been reversed of what you would actually see 84 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: in reality, but people had worked out how to fix 85 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: that problem. And all of this right up was not 86 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: prepped by Degear, but by a man named Andrew Pife, 87 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: the vice president of the Society of Arts Edinburgh, and 88 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 1: it is an edited version of a paper that he 89 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: read at the Royal Society of Arts in Edinburgh. When 90 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: papers like the National Gazette and the American Daily Advertiser 91 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: ran this story about Degear's work on October thirty nine, 92 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: Philadelphia readership took notice, and it was not all good notice. 93 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: There were readers who did not even believe the reporting. 94 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: That just did not seem possible that an image could 95 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: be captured that way. The article mentioned that it took 96 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: a full hour to capture an image with the new process, 97 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: and plenty of people thought that was ridiculous. Yeah, you'll 98 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: actually see some variations in that like, while this article 99 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 1: said that there were other things that were like no, 100 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: like thirty minutes, you know, maybe less, maybe more. But 101 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: for men like Cornelius, this was a really interesting topic. 102 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: For one, he, like a lot of men of industry 103 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia, just was simply interested in emerging technologies. But 104 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: for another, it offered a new potential business opportunity at 105 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: a time when Robert Cornelius, like a lot of business owners, 106 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: was trying to regain stable footing after the eighteen thirty 107 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: seven financial panic had caused a dip and revenue. But 108 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: before we get to Cornelius's experiments with photography, we have 109 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: to talk about another man who was very excited about 110 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: the Advertiser's story, and that was Joseph Saxton. Saxton was 111 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: a little bit older than Cornelius. He was born on 112 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: March twenty two in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He started working in 113 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: his father's nail factory as a young boy, but he 114 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: got tired of it. He had apprenticed with a clockmaker 115 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: starting at the age of twelve, and that became his career. 116 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: He did well for himself in that job. It led 117 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: to him making the belfry clock for Independence Hall when 118 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: he was still a young man in his twenties. But 119 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: though his education had been vocation specific and related to clockworks, 120 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: he was fascinated with all things scientific. Saxton is usually 121 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: credited with creating the first photograph made in the US. 122 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: That was an image of the state arsenal in Philadelphia 123 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: High School that was taken from a window high above 124 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: the street at the U. S. Mint in Philadelphia, which 125 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: was where Saxton worked. He was a constructor and curator 126 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: of the Mints weighing apparatus, and that was taken on 127 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: October eighteen thirty nine. That was only the day after 128 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: that Dagara type story had run in the papers. The 129 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: various components needed for that photo were largely improvised by Saxton. 130 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: A description of his first effort, written decades later described 131 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: what he used. Quote a seedlets powder box with a 132 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: few flakes of iodine answered for a coating box, while 133 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: a cigar box and burning glass were improvised for a camera. 134 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: An iron spoon served to heat mercury to develop the plate. 135 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: But Saxton was just getting started. That first image tested 136 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: the waters. He wanted to upgrade the materials he was 137 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: using and refine it all, and for that he turned 138 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: to Robert Cornelius. This wasn't because Cornelius was also interested 139 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: in photography. It was because of his expertise with metals 140 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: that he had gained through his work in the lighting business. 141 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: Saxton wanted Robert Cornelius to make silver coated copper plates 142 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: for him to use for his dagara types, and in 143 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: producing these plates, Cornelius found himself wanting to do his 144 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: own imaging experiments. And we're going to talk about that 145 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: very famous and history making photograph that came out of 146 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: Cornelius's interest in photography in just a moment, but first 147 00:08:53,880 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: we will pause for a sponsor break. It is not 148 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: known exactly what date Cornelius took the photograph that became 149 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: famous as the first photographic self portrait. He took it 150 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: behind the family lamp shop sometime in October or November, 151 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: so still very soon after the information onto gears process 152 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: was shared in the press. The outdoor set up in 153 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: the sun enabled him to minimize the needed exposure time. 154 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: He simply set his camera a box which was fitted 155 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: with an opera glass down on a stable surface, and 156 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: then he took the lens cover off and he sat 157 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 1: still for several minutes and then he put the lens 158 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: cover back on and that was that. When he developed 159 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: the photo using the Dagara type process, he had the 160 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: first self portrait photo made in the US. So this 161 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: photo itself has a certain charm. It's the one we 162 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: mentioned at the top of the episode that sometimes shows 163 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: up on lists of historical hotties. Cornelius has touseled hair, 164 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: He stares directly a the lens, and he does look 165 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: a bit like he walked out of a historical romance novel. 166 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: It's not the exact right time period, but I'm going 167 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 1: to describe it as Mr Darcy emerges from the mist. 168 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: That is a percent what it looks like to me 169 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: as well. I think that's why everybody is like he's beautiful. 170 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: So he's not quite centered in the image, which shows 171 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: him from his lower chest where his arms are crossed 172 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: up to the top of his head. On the left 173 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: side of the picture. The details are a little blurred. 174 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: It looks like maybe overexposure. This photo was important because 175 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,599 Speaker 1: it proved that portraiture was completely possible, and that was 176 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: something that detractors claimed was not realistic because of the 177 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: length of time the subject had to sit still and 178 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: just a few weeks after this photo was made, and 179 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: having made additional ones, Cornelius gave a presentation on his 180 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: photographic work on December six, thirty nine at the American 181 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: Philosophical Society and the Franklin Institute. He showed his photos 182 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 1: and he talked about his process, and as a consequence, 183 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: he very quickly began to gain a name for himself 184 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,839 Speaker 1: in this new field. The expertise that he was developing 185 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: and sharing through such lectures also launched a new business 186 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: venture for Cornelius. He partnered up with a man named 187 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: Paul Beck Goddard, who was a doctor, a surgeon, and 188 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: a chemist, to open a business Indo Garatype Portraiture in 189 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,839 Speaker 1: eighteen forty in their studio on Eighth Street, which will 190 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,839 Speaker 1: sometimes see written as eight Street depending on what source 191 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: you look at. The pair advanced photography in a couple 192 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,439 Speaker 1: of different ways. One of the innovations which was achieved 193 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: by Cornelius was the lighting setup. He attached a mirror 194 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: to one of the windows which was oriented to reflect 195 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: off of another mirror that was positioned to light the subject, 196 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: and he tempered the glare of the natural sunlight with 197 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: another piece of glass. This one with a lilac film 198 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: over it. This setup, which was all oriented so that 199 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: the subject could look directly at the camera, set the 200 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:02,959 Speaker 1: standard for portrait photography. Cornelius also took photos, for example, 201 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: of a street view in eighteen forty and that was 202 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: advanced and that it did not flip the image the 203 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: way most agia types did. He once again had used 204 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: a mirror or another reflective surface we don't know for 205 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: certain to create what looked like a true to life image. 206 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: Another innovation came from Goddard's tweaking of the chemical makeup 207 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: of the plate preparation solution and adding bro mean to 208 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: the iodine that was already used. Goddard shortened the needed 209 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: exposure time significantly. With his formula, it took just seconds 210 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: to capture the image. That was a huge step forward, 211 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: and it seems that Cornelius and Goddard recognized the potential 212 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: commercial advantage of their new process. There was one that 213 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: they didn't initially share with the wider field of photography enthusiasts. Instead, 214 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: the business partners purchased all of the Roman along the 215 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: East coast that they could so that their faster process 216 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: could not be replicated by other people. We should know 217 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: as well that whether Goddard was the first to come 218 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: up with this idea is really a matter of debate. 219 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: European experimenters were proposing similar chemical tweaks to the process 220 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: to speed things up at about the same time. Yeah, 221 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,839 Speaker 1: that's one thing when you talk about photography history, they're 222 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: almost always multiple people working on a process change at 223 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: the same time. So you do find some conflicting literature 224 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: about who did water came up with? What are right? Up? 225 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: In the papers about the Cornelius portrait Studio noted that 226 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: sometimes people were not so happy with their likenesses. It 227 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: stated that Cornelius and his partner Quote are now occupied 228 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: at their establishment corner of Ledge Alley in eight Streets, Philadelphia, 229 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 1: in taking likenesses, which are about seven by five inches 230 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: in neat metallic guilt frames, and are taken for five dollars. 231 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: As the likenesses are true, the owners are very often 232 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: too little flattered by the sun to be pleased with 233 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 1: his painting. But as the French are said, to a 234 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,839 Speaker 1: friend of mine who complained that he had made him 235 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: look like an assassin, the heliographist might reply, sir, that 236 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: is not my fault, but the same article which appeared 237 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 1: in the Botanico Medical Recorder of Columbus, Ohio, that also 238 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: described how the process was pretty quick and easy for 239 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: the sitter. Quote. When the operate t is seated in 240 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: his chair and subjected to the light transmitted through the 241 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: purple glass, you would suppose all Mr Cornelius wished was 242 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: to make the fellow look blue. But he will be 243 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: relieved from such apprehension very soon, as it is only 244 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: necessary to sit about a minute till the sun has, 245 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: by its powerful pencil transfixed every lineament of your features, 246 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: with all their beauties and blemishes and imperishable lines, upon 247 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: the plate of silver. Before the person, and about four 248 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: ft in front of him, is a bureau, on the 249 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: top of which is a mahogany tube or box six 250 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: or seven inches square and eighteen inches long, open at 251 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: both ends. In the end next to the person to 252 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: be represented is fixed a double convex lens, about the 253 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: size of a common burning glass, but which the figure 254 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: of the face and bust is diminished to the proper 255 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: size for the plate of silver on which the likenesses 256 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: are to be fixed. When the person is seated, the 257 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: strong light is thrown from the mirrors through the purple 258 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: plate upon the face and bust, and reflected thence and 259 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: through the lens and box, and is transmitted to the 260 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: plate of prepared silver fixed at the other end of 261 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: the box. Half a minute or more is sufficient to 262 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: trace imperishably the delineation on the plate. I feel like 263 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: it took less time than it took to read that, yes, 264 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: which is what made me laugh and why I wanted 265 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: to include the whole thing, because I love that Everyone 266 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: keeps talking about it's so simple, and then they take 267 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: thirty five sentences to describe this simple thing. I'm like, 268 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: is it though? That right of though, was not alone 269 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: in reassuring potential visitors to the Cornelia Studio that the 270 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: process of having your photograph taken was both easy and painless. 271 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: In June of eighteen forty, a brief article, a genuinely 272 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: brief article from the Philadelphia Chronicle, was reprinted in the 273 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: Tennessee and and that mentioned the studio being open and 274 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: available for customers and touts quote, nothing could possibly be 275 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: more true than these representations of the human face divine, 276 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: for they transferred to the plate the exact image of 277 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: the sitters living as they rise. The mode, too, is 278 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: as simple as the results are accurate. All you have 279 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: to do is place yourself in an easy, well cushioned chair, 280 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: assumed the position in which you desire to be perpetuated, 281 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: and look steadfastly at a given object for the matter 282 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: of half a minute. In your features, expression, everything connected 283 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: with your countenance are caught and stamped with a vigor 284 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: and solitude that are unsurpassable. Also in June eighteen forty, 285 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: Cornelius ran his first advertisement for the studio, which read 286 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: quote da Guara type likenesses are. Cornelius, having completed his 287 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 1: arrangements for producing miniatures by the daguerrotype process, respectfully invites 288 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: the public to his rooms northeast corner of Eighth Street 289 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: and Lodge Alley, where specimens of the art can be seen. 290 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 1: Miniatures from life or copies of busts, portraits, etcetera will 291 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,679 Speaker 1: be made of the usual size or for medallion's breastpens, etcetera. 292 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: The first customer was a man who had helped the 293 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 1: studio get going, John McAllister, Jr. He was an optician 294 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: and had given Cornelius his camera lenses when he first 295 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: started experimenting with photography. There's one thing that we should 296 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: mention here. We keep calling at the Cornelius studio, although 297 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: we have also said that Paul Beck Goddard was Robert 298 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: Cornelius's partner, and he was, but he was a silent partner, 299 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: assisting with the chemical makeup of their process, but then 300 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: staying out of the day to day business. We should 301 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 1: also note that their portrait studio was not the first 302 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: in the US, although it was the first infill Aadelphia. 303 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: The distinction of the first in the country goes to 304 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: Alexander Walcott and John Johnson, who opened a studio in 305 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: New York City in March of eighteen forty, just a 306 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: couple of months before the Cornelius and Goddard venture. And 307 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: just a moment we'll talk about the reputation for quality 308 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 1: that Robert Cornelius gained for his photographic efforts, and we 309 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: will cover that right after we hear from some of 310 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: the sponsors that make stuffumis and history class possible. The 311 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: frames for photographs that were mentioned in the description that 312 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: we read before the break may have been away for 313 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: Cornelius to integrate his family business into his new venture. 314 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: Those frames were unusual in the world of early photography, 315 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 1: and they may have been produced in the lamp factory. 316 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: But over time the metal frames were phased out and 317 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: Cornelius started using the same types of frames that other 318 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: early photographers used, which was sort of a floor old 319 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: design leather casing there was much lighter than the brass 320 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: frames that he had started with, but each of his 321 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: portraits had a studio label on it that was metal 322 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: that read de Guero type Miniatures by our Cornelius, eight 323 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: Street above Chestnut, Philadelphia. The word Cornelius was doing was 324 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 1: written up in various papers for its quality. Then the 325 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 1: public ledger of Philadelphia the following appeared on marchty quote, 326 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 1: this much admired art seems to be rapidly approaching perfection. 327 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: Among those who have been most successful in these attempts 328 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: is Mr Robert Cornelius of this city. We saw a 329 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,479 Speaker 1: likeness yesterday which had been taken in just about thirty 330 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: seconds time. The operation is said to be by no 331 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: means troublesome or tiresome. Mr Cornelius has also taken a 332 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,880 Speaker 1: number of views of buildings in this city, among them 333 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: as one of the Mason Hall St. John's Church in 334 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: thirteenth Street, The Western Exchange Hotel, and the entire view 335 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: of the city of Philadelphia. These views are publicly exposed 336 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: in his saloon at the corner of Lodge Alley and 337 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: Eight Streets for the inspection of visitors, and visitors did 338 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: indeed visit the studio to see these images, and portrait 339 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: bookings were popular with Philadelphia's elite. Remember that five dollars 340 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 1: was no small sum in eighteen forty but bookings were 341 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 1: steady and had to be made a week in advance, 342 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 1: with the caveat that an overcast day would be caused 343 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: for cancelation. Cornelius's work became so well regarded as some 344 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: of the best photography being done in the US that 345 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: selections of his images were sent to France to show 346 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: how much experimentation on this side of the Atlantic had 347 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: innovated the entire field. In eighteen forty one, Cornelius moved 348 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: to a new location in Market Street because it offered 349 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: better lighting. This meant he didn't usually have to cancel 350 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: appointments if it was overcast. He seemed to be succeeding 351 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: in his business. The paper described him as being run 352 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: down with his customer. That means like overrun, not that 353 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: the not that the business looks shabby, and this was 354 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: busy enough to have opened a second studio. He decided 355 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: to close his portrait business just a couple of years 356 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: after it opened, and that shift away from photography wasn't 357 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: necessarily because portrait business was lagging, although it is a 358 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 1: little bit unclear how profitable it actually was even with 359 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: that high price. But Cornelius was also eager to work 360 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: on alternative fuels for lighting. In the early eighteen forties, 361 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: whale oil was still the most common fuel for lighting 362 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: a lamp. Gaslight had been introduced several decades earlier, and 363 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: it was growing in both accessibility and popularity, but it 364 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: had not become the standard, and Robert Cornelius saw an 365 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: opportunity to do for lamp light what he had done 366 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: for photography by moving it forward. He invented a device 367 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: called a solar lamp. Isn't quite what you may think 368 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: of when you think about technologies that are today labeled 369 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: as solar. It wasn't solar power. It was just brighter 370 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: than other lamps, and it did have a different fuel 371 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: source than other lamps. Cornelias, who as we have said, 372 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: worked in the lamp in chandelier industry his whole career. 373 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: Applied for a patent on this lamp, which had a 374 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: rounded light deflector like other solar lamps, but his also 375 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: had way more options for fuel than other lamps of 376 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 1: the day. His solar lamp worked with lard oil, far 377 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: less expensive than whale oil, and that was not all. 378 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: You could put solid lard in it as a fuel 379 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 1: to burn, and in a pinch, you could even use 380 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: grease leftovers from cooking. Uh. If you want to see 381 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: a picture of this, the National Museum of American History 382 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: has one in its collection and you can find pictures 383 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: of it online. During his first years away from running 384 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: the portrait studio, Cornelius also still took photos on occasion, 385 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,160 Speaker 1: but that waned over time. Maybe one of the reasons 386 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: that Robert Cornelius didn't pursue his photography is more of 387 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: a hobby after eighteen three was that there were lots 388 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: of other such studios opening up all around the city. 389 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: Even as early as eighteen forty. He had to compete 390 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: with a studio that opened right across the street from 391 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,120 Speaker 1: his shop that was run by J. E. Watson. By 392 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: eighteen forty three, there were so many others. Additionally, his 393 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: family lighting business, Cornelius and Company, had become really successful. 394 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 1: That took up a lot of his time. Yeah, I 395 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: think I read one statistic that by eighteen forty three 396 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: there were ten photography studios, which doesn't sound like that 397 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: big a number, but that was still just, you know, 398 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: a few years after after this whole thing had started, 399 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: so it had grown quite quickly. Cornelius obviously was a 400 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 1: man of insight, and just as he had seen the 401 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,719 Speaker 1: potential of the Dagara type and how it could be used, 402 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,159 Speaker 1: he was also always working on new approaches to lighting, 403 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: even when those approaches endangered his previous inventions and made 404 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 1: them obsolete. Because of that desire to innovate, he actually 405 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: introduced the first kerosene lamp in each seen five. The 406 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: American Gaslight Gallery has a Cornelius kerosene lamp in its collection. 407 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: But though he was first to figure out a kerosene 408 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: lighting apparatus, Cornelius did not corner that market. Another device 409 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: by a different inventor, Johann Stupor, enabled customers to keep 410 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: their existing oil lamps. Stupor's invention was an attachment burner 411 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: that converted oil lamps to kerosene fuel. This is a 412 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: lot more economical option than replacing all of the oil 413 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: lamps in your house, so buyers typically chose that. Cornelius 414 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: tried to keep up with the kerosene market by inventing 415 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: his own conversion burner for using on existing oil lamps, 416 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: but he was just kind of too slow. He was 417 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: behind the trend at that point, and he couldn't regain 418 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: market share. In eighteen seventy seven, after having changed the 419 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: name from Cornelius and Company to Cornelius and Baker to 420 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: Cornelius and Sons over the years, Robert Cornelius retired. After that, 421 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,880 Speaker 1: he spent most of his time at his country house 422 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: north of Frankfort, Sylvania. He had purchased that in the 423 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: early eighteen fifties. He still had the urge to experiment, 424 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: although once he left the lamp business this was gardening. Yeah, 425 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 1: he apparently did some seed experimentation, although I did not 426 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 1: find much documentation on it or information. Cornelius died at 427 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 1: his country house on August tenth, at the age of 428 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: eighty four, so he lived for quite a while after retirement. 429 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, and 430 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 1: when His obituary ran in the American Journal of Photography. 431 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 1: It was right above an article written by another inventor 432 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 1: who would become much more famous. That article was titled 433 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,239 Speaker 1: the Action of the Eye, and it was written by 434 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: Nicola Tesla. Today, Cornelius's famous selfie as part of the 435 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 1: collection of the Library of Congress. It's appeared in the 436 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: exhibits American Treasures of the Library of Congress and not 437 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: An Ostrich and other images from America's Library that was 438 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: in was also included in the book Gathering History the 439 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: Mary As Carson Collection of Americana in and then in 440 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: the e book Great Photographs from the Library of Congress. 441 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 1: And you can also find it online at Library of 442 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: Congress LC dot gov. Also will be on our social media. Yeah, 443 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: it's also just easy to find. If you do an 444 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:24,479 Speaker 1: Internet search for Robert Cornelius, it's gonna come up. The 445 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 1: studio that Cornelius had had briefly in Philadelphia is now 446 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: called out by a historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical 447 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: and Museum Commission, which reads, quote, Robert Cornelius, the metallurgist 448 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 1: and brass founder, opened one of the world's first photographic 449 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: studios here in the spring of eighteen forty, his collaboration 450 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: with chemist Paul Beck Goddard in successful experiments to reduce 451 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:50,719 Speaker 1: exposure times made it possible to use the camera in portraiture. 452 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: Although he has name recognition in Philadelphia and in photography circles, 453 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: there's a fresh effort now to make sure that the 454 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 1: images Cornelius made and those early days of dagaratype experimentation 455 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: are preserved. In an article appeared in the online publication 456 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: Hidden City exploring Philadelphia's urban landscape, the write up features 457 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: a woman named Rachel Wetzel, who's a photograph conservator for 458 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 1: Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and what's the 459 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 1: is on a mission to track down all of the 460 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: Cornelius Degarat types you can and ensure that they're preserved. 461 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: That effort has gotten a financial boost in the time 462 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: since that article appeared, The National Endowment for the Humanities 463 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: gave funding for a two year research project with the 464 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: goal of documenting all Cornelius portraits. According to the Robert 465 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,439 Speaker 1: Cornelius Degara type project Facebook page, which is part of 466 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: this effort, quote, this project began as a collaborative scientific 467 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: study between Rachel Wetsel of the Conservation Center for Art 468 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: and Historic Artifacts and Adrian Lundgren of the Library of Congress. 469 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 1: Those two conservators now have a team to research historical 470 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: cleaners on de garatype images. Today, it is known that 471 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: fifty four of Cornelius's portraits survive. And now you know 472 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: when you look and say wow, you are handsome, that 473 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 1: that is the story of Robert Cornelie. Yeah. Do you 474 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: have some listener mail for us? I do. It is 475 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: also a little bit photography related because it is about 476 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: our recent episode on Wilson A Bentley who photographed all 477 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: of those beautiful snowflakes. This is from our listener Maren, 478 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: who writes, Hi, Holly and Tracy, I'm a longtime listener 479 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: of the show and really enjoyed your episode on Wilson A. Bentley. 480 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 1: Growing up, every December, my mom would wrap up twenty 481 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: five books, and each night leading up to Christmas, my 482 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: brother and I would alternate picking out one to unwrap 483 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: and read. I love this tradition and I think everyone 484 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: should adopt it, including myself. Maren goes on this tradition 485 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: functioned as our family's advent calendar and also prevented my 486 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: brother and I from nagging my mom to unwrap gifts 487 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: before Christmas. It was a really fun tradition as each 488 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: year there was one into two new books, and my 489 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: brother and I like to try to pick out our 490 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: old favorites by their shapes. One of my favorites of 491 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: these books was actually about Wilson Bentley. It's called Snowfake 492 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. It looks like it may 493 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: be at a print now, and it's been several years 494 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: since I have read it, but I remember it being 495 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: a charming story and having excellent illustrations of Bentley snow crystals. 496 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: Being literature lovers, I thought you would enjoy my story 497 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: in the book. Thank you for all the hard work 498 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 1: you put into the show, yours, Maren p. S. I 499 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:33,479 Speaker 1: have included a festive picture of my cat, Mazzi. Mazzi 500 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: is a torty, which I love because they are usually 501 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: little feline spitfires. But also, Marin, thank you because I 502 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: actually meant to mention that book at least in the 503 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: episode and neglected to You can still get it, at 504 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:50,239 Speaker 1: least on the second hand book market. I think if 505 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: you're really eager to get it, you could probably get 506 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: your hands on a copy somehow. Yeah, we had a 507 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: lot of people mention it, like on Facebook comments and 508 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: tweets and things. Yeah, it's cute as pie. Um, and 509 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: it is very cool and there is there are very 510 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: pretty illustrations, so um, thank you for that reminder that 511 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: we should mention it. I'm still busy paging through Bentley's 512 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: book on snowflakes that he wrote because it has so 513 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: many great photographs in it and I just adore it. 514 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: So if you haven't looked at that, that is also great. 515 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: Thank you again for writing us. If you would like 516 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: to do so, you can do so at History Podcast 517 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: at i heeart radio dot com. You can also find 518 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,479 Speaker 1: us on social media as Missed in History, which Tracy 519 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,959 Speaker 1: just mentioned. You can also subscribe to the podcast if 520 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: you haven't gotten around to it yet. That is so 521 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: easy to do. You can do it on the I 522 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: heart radio app or anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. 523 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: Stuff you Missed in History Class is a production of 524 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 525 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 526 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.