Preparing biographies
In 1855 the Journal of the Photographic Society reprinted a formula for sensitizing papers from a man it styled as “one of the oldest friends of Photography.” Jordan had originally published his formula in the Mechanics’ Magazine and the Pharmaceutical Times in 1848, writing that “for a considerable length of time I have employed an expeditious method of preparing iodized papers for the calotype and other photogenic processes.” In addition to his chemical formula, Jordan gave hints on how to use a glass rod to evenly distribute chemical solutions over the entire surface of the paper. Such a familiarity with materials and techniques suggests that Jordan was almost certainly a chemist, but, unfortunately, none of his three publications revealed his full name or even his place of residence, and none of his photographs have been traced.
Roger Taylor & Larry J. Schaaf Impressed by Light: British Photographs from Paper Negatives, 1840-1860 (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007)
This biography is courtesy and copyright of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is included here with permission.
Date last updated: 4 Nov 2012.
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