Rare Books and Manuscripts
Collections
The Heinz K. and Bridget A. Henisch
Collection
of the
History Of Photography
The collection (acquired in 1996 by gift-transfer) is a valuable resource
for the study of 19th-century photographic, social, and art history.
Originally designed as a teaching collection, and international in
character, the material includes virtually every type of photograph ever
made:
albumen and gelatin prints
ambrotypes
cabinet cards
cartes-de-visite
daguerreotypes (going back to 1842)
ivorytypes
|
opalotypes
panotypes (on leather)
prints on canvas and silk
salt prints
stereo cards
tintypes
|
Many are overpainted, varying in character from genuine art objects to
casually produced folk art. The subject matter also varies, ranging from
the formal portraits characteristic of the period to travel scenes,
architectural studies, and curious side-show spectacles. Among the most
striking pictures are those depicting scenes of the Crimean War, one of
the earliest military engagements to be recorded by photography.
The collection also contains daguerreotype cases of several designs, a
minor art form in its own right, and other artifacts connected with
photography, including a few cameras.
The B. and H. Henisch Photo-History Collection Exhibit Room, dedicated on November 14, 2000, contains a display area for changing exhibits and is accessible to the public for study purposes.
An online guide to the collection is available.
Heinz K. Henisch was Emeritus Professor of the History of Photography.
He and his wife, Bridget A. Henisch, collaborated on three
photo-history books, all published by Penn State Press. Many of the
items in the collection are described in these books:
|
The Photographic Experience, 1839-1914; Images and
Attitudes (1994) |
| The Painted Photograph, 1839-1914; Origins, Techniques, Aspirations (1996) |
 |
 |
Positive Pleasures; Early Photography and Humor (Spring 1998) |
For more information, Robert Leggatt (Fellow, Royal Photographic Society) maintains
a website on the history of photography.
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