[Gustavus Vasa Fox, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing slightly right]

Transfer; LC Manuscript Division (gift, Gist Blair, 1936); 1963 July.

The albumen silver print is a photographic printing process that was widely used in the 19th century. It involves coating paper support with a mixture of egg whites and salt, which creates a glossy surface to hold light-sensitive silver salts. The paper is then sensitized in a solution of silver nitrate, and exposed in a camera or under a negative. After exposure, the print is developed in a solution of gallic acid and silver nitrate, which reduces the silver salts to metallic silver and creates the final image. The albumen print process was widely used for commercial and fine art photography in the 19th century and produced high-quality, detailed images with a distinctive glossy finish.

fox gustavus vasa albumen prints cartes de visite portrait photographs russian gustavus vasa fox gustavus vasa fox portrait russian empire head and shoulders portrait 19th century history of russia lot 9946 print vintage fashion library of congress

01/01/1866

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

No known restrictions on publication in the U.S. Use elsewhere may be restricted by other countries' laws. For general information see "Copyright and Other Restrictions ...," http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/195_copr.html