By Anne Cartier-Bresson
Research in Photographic Conservation
One of the particularities of the history of photography is its close association with scientific research in chemistry, physics, and optics. This was the case from its very inception, and
By Anne Cartier-Bresson
Research in Photographic Conservation
One of the particularities of the history of photography is its close association with scientific research in chemistry, physics, and optics. This was the case from its very inception, and it was especially apparent in photography's early years. The pursuit of better technical results and greater image stability was led by the inventors of photographic techniques and was quickly taken up by photographic societies, the first of which were the Royal Photographic Society and the Société Française de Photographie.
The evolution of photographic technology in the modern era and its commercial expansion have created a situation in which photographers generally know less than they once did about the nature of the materials with which they work. In the 1980s, developments in the marketplace spurred the rapid growth of new digital imaging and color processing techniques. Meanwhile, over the course of the last century, entire realms of photographic history have disappeared because of diminished interest and the dispersion of integral collections.
However, the increasing awareness of the history of photography and of the need for better preservation methods should provide new impetus for explorations into the conservation of photography within the framework of art conservation. At the same time, the tremendous rise in the number of photographic techniques used today naturally leads to research in these areas. Conservation efforts should not be concentrated solely on historical photographs and on the photographs of artists who use specialized or historical techniques. They must also accommodate the work of artists whose photography is more conceptual or documentary—as well as confront the increasing number of unconventional ways that artists mount photographic works.
There are two fronts on which photographic conservation research will continue to develop. The first is research in physical and chemical processes, conducted by chemists, physicists, and other sc