Figure 1.-- Here we see a Buenos Aires studio portrait. The studio was Foto Wolf. Notice the roughly serrated edges of the borderless print. It was dated 1941. Click here to see the inscription on the back. The boy's name seems to be Tito.

We have begun to develop information on the various photographic formats in Argentia. We know that Daguerotypists very quickly after the development n Fance appeared in the Rio de la Plata area (Buenos Aires and Montivdeo) (1840). We have not found any Daguerreotypes or Ambrotypes and suspect that they were produced in reatvely small numbers (1840s-50s). Only in Ameica do we find a large number of these early photographic images. Even in Europe they are hard to find. The CDV is another matter, there is an explosion of CDVs throughout Europe and America (1860s). The same occurred in Argentina on a more limited basis. We have not yet found many Argentine CDVs. Our achive is limited. We believe that this reflects that reflects both the industry was still fairly saw and our limited archive to Argentine images. We have found some cabinet cards in the late-19th century. It appears that photographic trend by the lte-19th century were similar to America and Europe. Cabinet cards appea to hav been done in considerable numbers. Interestingly many of the studios have Italian names. Substantial Italian immigration to Argentina began in the late-19th century. Many of Argentine cabinet cards we have found date from the 1890s. We uspect this reflects the vibrant economy developing . in te late-19th century. The styles of the card mounts seem similar to those we see at the time, more in Europe than America. This neds, however to be confirmed as we expand out archive. Trends from this point on seem similar, to Europe and America, but we do note some chronological differences. Other photographic trends with the turn-of-the 20th century also seem similar to Europe and America. We also note similar trends in amateur snapshots. We note large numbers of family snapshots after the turn-of-the 20th century. Again the sucess of the Argentine economy at the time may have been a factor. Some photographers seem to have used paper more commo with snapshots in America. The 1941 studio portrait here seems similar to formats in America and Europe at the time (figutre 1).

Early Formats

We have begun to develop information on the various photographic formats in Argentia. We know that Daguerotypists very quickly after the development n Fance appeared in the Rio de la Plata area (Buenos Aires and Montivdeo) (1840). We have not found any Daguerreotypes or Ambrotypes. There must of course have beem some, but we suspect that they were produced in reatvely small numbers (1840s-50s). Only in Ameica do we find a large number of these early photographic images. Even in Europe they are hard to find.

Tintyoes

W know nothing about Argentin tintypes

Albumen Process

he CDV is another matter, there is an explosion of CDVs throughout Europe and America (1860s). The same occurred in Argentina on a more limited basis. We have not yet found many Argentine CDVs. Our achive is limited. We believe that this reflects that reflects both the industry was still fairly saw and our limited archive to Argentine images. We have found some cabinet cards in the late-19th century. Unlike Europe, the CDV oes not seem to have been common, but the caninet cards were. It appears that photographic trend by the lte-19th century were similar to America and Europe. Cabinet cards appea to hav been done in considerable numbers. Interestingly many of the studios have Italian names. Substantial Italian immigration to Argentina began in the late-19th century. Many of Argentine cabinet cards we have found date from the 1890s. We uspect this reflects the vibrant economy developing . in te late-19th century. The styles of the card mounts seem similar to those we see at the time, more in Europe than America. This neds, however to be confirmed as we expand out archive. Trends from this point on seem similar, to Europe and America, but we do note some chronological differences.

Silver Nitrate

Other photographic trends with the turn-of-the 20th century also seem similar to Europe and America. Both studio and amateur snapshot photography were dominated by the silver nitrate process. Gelatin silver prints became the the standard means of printing black and white photographs from negatives. The orocess was developed (1870s), but not ready for commercial use for some time (aboit 1895). So at the turn of the 20th century you have a shift from the ambumn process to silver nitate processing. The silver prints were more stable, did not turn yellow and were simpler to produce. Gelatin silver prints remain the standard black and white chemical print type today.The roll film developed by Kodak in the United states was crucial for amateiur snapshots. This all came together with the Kodak Brownie (1900). Thus we begin to see snapshots emerging from Argentina as in other countries after the turn-of-the 20th century. We note large numbers of family snapshots after the turn-of-the 20th century. Some photographers seem to have used paper more common with snapshots in America. Snapshots were printed in different sizes, shaps, margins, and edges. We have found more snapshots from Argentina than any other Latin American country. This seems to be combination of a a relativly large population and an economy that almost reached developed status. Prosperous countries are the countries most likely to have substntial photographic records. Studio photography also changed over from the albumen process to silver nitrate printing. The same diversity observed with snapshots was also true of studio prints which were also done with a varity of paper frames. The 1941 studio portrait here with ragged edges seems similar to formats in America and Europe at the time (figutre 1). The bavkgrounds used by the studios also changed over time. Silver nitrate dominate photography until the 1970s when color printing began to become more common.

Created: 10:01 PM 2/12/2014
Last updated: 12:40 AM 8/20/2017