Hippolyte Bayard

An inventor

In the Years 1830 in Paris, the intellectual and artistic medium is agitated by the famous experiments undertaken by Louis Daguerre, creator of the Diorama. Those make following the projections of Nicéphore Niépce, which it had joined in 1827. But in 1835, of information start to circulate on a process that Daguerre would have succeeded in developing to fix the luminous impression in a Camera will obscura.

As much of others, Bayard, who is interested in painting, launches out in the experimentation. The first idea of genius of this methodical man consists in consigning his projections in a book of tests . One can thus follow his progression in the control of the sensitivity, with the appearance of vague forms which specify tests under tests until one recognizes there the statues which are used to him as models.

Bayard invents initially a photographic process of negative on paper. Then, in March 1839, it develops a process enabling him to obtain direct positive on paper . The positive image is formed by the exposure in the darkroom of a beforehand sensitized sheet of paper. Like the Daguerreotype, the images obtained by Bayard are single parts not being able to be reproduced.

In June 1839, Bayard organizes the first exposure of photographs of the history. He contributes to an operation of benevolence by presenting about thirty sights of dead nature and architecture. Two months before the official recognition of the daguerreotype, Bayard thus has already a sufficient control of his process to make demonstrations of them - but it is too late. More details: Invention of photography

The first setting in photographic scene

France fully asserts the invention of photography by supporting high and strong the paternity of Daguerre, but the process developped at the point by Bayard differs deeply. The Academy of Science is embarrassed by this second invention. François Arago, promoter of Daguerre and its process, does not encourage it. Bayard turns then to the Académie of the Art schools which receives it better but without supporting it truly. Meanwhile, the English William Henry Fox Talbot invented a process of negative-positive, higher than that of Bayard, who sees himself relegated to the second plan.

In June 1839, Bayard receives 600 francs of the French State to be equipped in photographic material (whereas an annual rent of 10.000 francs on the whole is versed in Jacques Daguerre and Isidore Niépce, the son of Nicéphore). In February 1840, it reveals the details of its invention of positive direct to the Academy of Science. But the daguerreotype is in full rise, and the contribution of Bayard remains been unaware of. Bayard then decides to drown but only, and it is there its second idea of genius, photographically . In October 1840, it is put in scene in drowned on a photograph at the back of which it writes:

the corpse of the Mister that you see Ci-behind is that of Mr. Bayard, inventor of the process from which you come to see or whose you will see the marvellous results. To my knowledge, it has been about three years that this clever and untiring researcher dealt with improving his invention.

the Academy, the King and all those which saw these drawings that found him imperfect admired them as you admire them in this moment. That does much honor to him and a black poplar was not worth to him. The government which too much much had given to Mr. Daguerre said anything to be able to make for Mr. Bayard and the unhappy one drowned. Oh! instability of the human things! The artists, the scientists, the newspapers dealt with him for a long time and today that it has been several days that it is exposed to the mortuary nobody still recognized it nor claimed. Sirs and Ladies, let us pass to others, for fear your sense of smell is not affected, because the figure of the Mister and his hands start to rot as you can notice it.

In 1840, one year hardly after the official invention of the “photography” which was going to become the instrument of reproduction of reality, Bayard invented with humor the photographic Fiction.

An active photographer

The process of positive direct of Bayard remained an isolated experiment which it was alone to practice. In spite of his initial vexations, Bayard will however continue to be an active and productive photographer. As from 1840, it uses itself much the Calotype, the process of negative-positive invented by Talbot.

He is founding member of the heliographic Société in 1851 then of the French company of photography in 1854.

In 1851, it belongs to the five photographers of the heliographic Company elected by the Commission of the historic buildings to collect photographs of historical buildings that the commission wishes to preserve or restore. It is sent in Normandy under this heliographic Mission.

Bayard is also the first to have had the idea to combine two negative separate, one for the sky and the clouds, the other for the landscape, in order to compose a quite exposed positive test with a sky moutonné of clouds. The reported methods of “ciels” started to be used in the Années 1850.

References

Michel Poivert and Amélie Lavin, Hippolyte Bayard , Nathan, Photopoche 91
Jean-Claude Gautrand and Michel Frizot, Hippolyte Bayard. Birth of the photographic image , ED. Three caillous, 1986
Hippolyte Bayard at the origins of photography and the modern city , in photographic Research 2, Univ. Paris VIII, May 1987

External bonds

collections of the French company of photography
collections of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles
See also the page devoted to Hippolyte Bayard.

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