The Daguerreotype

Louis Daguerre started as a painter who was capable of making portraits, as real as a mirror’s reflection. He wasn’t very successful though, because at his time nobody wanted mirror-like representation of themselves. People wanted portraits made by creative artists who could make them look younger, happier and just a little bit more handsome. So, the successful portrait makers were the ones who could do just that- not showing the reality as it was but concealing it. Knowing that wasn’t enough for Louis to do as the others. His intention for showing the world truthfully has led him to photography, or what became photography because this word did not exist yet.

“If only there was a way to make these portraits more real; without the painter’s flattery” thought Louis. So, he teamed up with Mr. Niepce who had the same intention and was experimenting with an improved version of camera obscura. The result was promising but needed more work. Soon after their work had begun, Mr. Niepce died leaving all the responsibilities to Louis, but also all the credit because when he finally completed this invention, he took the liberty of calling it after himself. 

The news about the daguerreotype aroused admiration for its ingenuity first, but soon was met with a lot of hostility. The community disliked it because it would show too much truth. Especially angry were the people of the high society. “These machines are going to make us look ugly” they thought. Unable to admit that out loud, they came up with a different approach. “We are against this new invention because it will take the jobs of our beloved painters” they said. And so, they started a campaign against the daguerreotype which concluded with a petition signed by 10.000 painters. This was enough to ban the daguerreotype and send its inventor in exile across the ocean.         

***

Ashburnham was a little village with less than a hundred people. The main street in the valley was surrounded by residential houses located on small hills. Each house had its own path leading a specific shop on the main street where the residents offered their services. Despite its lack of resources, the village was close to a big city which always brought merchants with extra money to spend. In one of the buildings on the main street was a studio earlier vacated by a painter which could be used as a new workplace for Louis Daguerre. 

His plan was to complete the invention and start making portraits. There couldn’t be a better location for this purpose however, there was one problem. The constant noise and acrid smell coming from the shoemaker next door. At their first meeting, Louis thought John Adams to be a vagrant, but, it turned out he was the only shoemaker in the village. “I doubt that he is one of the innovator kinds” thought Louis and remembered the adversity towards his invention back home. “These kind of people” he thought “did not care about anything but their well-being. At their first sight of an invention, they would get scared and talk about how damaging it will be to employment and such things.”

***

When Louis had finally completed his invention, he was ready to put it to practice. On a sunny day there was a new sign on top of his studio which read: Innovation in Ashburnham- The daguerreotype. Get your portrait done in 15 minutes! What was met with hostility in his home country was embraced with curiosity and plenty orders in Ashburnham. People were queuing up to get a portrait, apparently, not caring about them being too realistic.

At the end of the workday, which was delayed by two hours due to the high number of customers, Louis saw Mr. Adams again, which shared his happiness and congratulated on the invention. “Did you spend a lot of time inventing this?” asked John. 

“Quite so” answered Louis “And I’m surprised it wasn’t met with hostility. People are not scared of realistic portraits around here!”

“Hmm, no.”

“I think I know why. The critics of my invention were people from high society. They were afraid of the daguerreotype and the realistic pictures it would make, devoid of any flattery. Being conceited as they are they preferred to use painters who could always hide their defects. Here in the village however, people are hardworking and pure. They have no interest in conceiving parts of themselves. They accept and embrace reality as it is!”

“Hmm, Great theory sir, but I would also add the part about the money.”

“What do you mean?” 

“You see, it costs 10 times cheaper to have a portrait done by you than by a painter. These people could not afford one before. This is why they are queueing up to your shop.” 

“So, I haven’t discovered anything about the human nature… At least I invented what I planned. What a great gift for the world!” 

“Right time for a gift sir. It is my 100^th birthday tomorrow!”

Next day Louis woke up with a good feeling and decided to invite the shoemaker to make him a free portrait for his birthday.

“Have you had someone as handsome on a portrait before?” asked John.

“Well, we never had anyone so old, that’s for sure! Will you be able to sit still for 10 minutes without falling asleep, old man?” 

“Ha-ha sure thing!”

After seeing the portrait John Adams remembered the old studio owner. “You know there was a painter in this studio before you moved in, and, since I had my shop, I watched him master his craft and get better at making those portraits. I never dreamed I could get one because they were so expensive. And I wouldn’t like my grandchildren to remember me the way he used to paint them anyways- so bright, so perfect so… false. And even though it is sad the artist had to change his occupation, I am happy that me and the locals can now afford a portrait. I wonder what the future is going to be like, and what other sorts of things would simple shoemakers like me afford. It might be that immortality becomes possible.”

So, this is what Mr. Adams might have said about the daguerreotype not having any idea that he made history that day becoming the earliest born person to ever be photographed. Born in 1745 and living the simple life of a shoemaker was enough to have people speculate about his life many years later. Perhaps, he did become immortal through that photograph. But we will never know if that’s what he meant by immortality.