4095 - Talbot, William Henry Fox

Talbot, William Henry Fox Articles of China. 1844. Salted paper print from a calotype paper negative, printed in 1846, mounted on card. 12 x 16.7 cm (mount 24 x 29.8 cm). Published as one of the original Talbotypes included with *The Art-Union*, vol. VIII, no. 91 (London: Palmer & Clayton, June 1846), this carefully arranged still life of porcelain demonstrates the descriptive precision of Talbot’s negative-positive process. Its balanced arrangement of decorative objects highlights photography’s potential as a precise means of visual documentation. – Mount shows extensive foxing, age-related staining, and uneven discoloration, more pronounced on the reverse; edges are worn, chipped, and partially split, with small corner losses and creases. Print with a few small dark spots, minor surface abrasions, and an irregular horizontal crease across the lower section; pronounced fading with considerable loss of contrast and detail; otherwise in good condition.