Unloading Supplies at Port Royal, Virginia

Andrew Joseph Russell (American, 1830–1902)

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.

andrew joseph russell albumen silver prints supplies port royal virginia prints 19th century civil war american civil war confederate states of america high resolution albumen prints early photography metropolitan museum of art

1861 - 1864

Metropolitan Museum of Art

http://www.metmuseum.org/

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