In September of 1848, Charles Fontayne and William Porter took a series of 8 panoramic views of Cincinnati by the then still new
daguerreian process, capturing a little more than two miles of the riverfront. In skilled hands, daguerreotype can capture an amazing resolution, so much that modern technology is required to view the full image.
In 2007, the 1848 Cincinnati panorama was restored, utilizing a stereo microscope, finding so much detail that the eight 6 ½ inch by 8 ¼ inch plates could be enlarged up to 170 by 20 feet without losing clarity. In May of this year,
the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County put the daguerreotype plates on display with touch-screen computer displays to see the fine details. But if you can't make it to Cincinnati, the library has
a new website where you can navigate and zoom in for a glimpse of life along the riverfront. [via
mefi projects]
[more inside]
posted by filthy light thief
on Jul 19, 2011 -
29 comments
