Honorable & Reverend B.R. Wilson of Monrovia, Liberia, died Oct. 9, 1864 / Photographed by S.W. Truesdell, Kenosha, Wis.

Photograph shows portrait of B.R. Wilson, Methodist missionary to Liberia.

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.

wilson r methodists african americans spiritual life missionaries american liberia clergy albumen prints cartes de visite jenne liberia wilson monrovia truesdell kenosha wis 1840 reverend images black history month black history month 19th century lot 8553 sw truesdell sw stephen wallace truesdell photo ultra high resolution high resolution library of congress

01/01/1840

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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