The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction

Out of the blue, a photographic image appeared in a magazine. This photogram of ferns is one of the earliest published pictures. However, in the year 1839, reproducing a photograph was no simple undertaking; a new approach had to be devised. A wooden block was made lightsensitive with salt and silver, the photograph was then printed on it, and the wood engraver could then incise the image with a fine burin. Consequently, a photograph could be reproduced in large print runs.