At the moment the earliest true photograph that has been discovered was that of a leaf taken in the 1790s by two British scientists.
But a 16th century Italian painter may have experimented with photography in his masterpieces. His paintings were not true photographs, but were some sort of combination of painting and photograph.
An Anglo-Italian team has found evidence that a luminescent powder made from crushed fireflies, at the time used in the theatre, was used to 'fix' the image onto the canvas. The same technique was later used by 19th century photographers.
Was Caravaggio the first master of photography? How Baroque artist used techniques 200 years before invention of the camera
By Tamara Abraham
11th March 2009
Daily Mail
Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio is being hailed as the first artist to to use photographic techniques - 200 years before the invention of the camera.
New research has showed that works by 16th century master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), who was famed for his realistic style and dramatic 'chiaroscuro' effect of light and shade, showed mercury salt in the canvases.
The light-sensitive chemical turned his canvas into a basic film, 'burning' the images before sketching.
Judith and Holofernes, 1598-9: Caravaggio was famous for his realistic style and 'chiaroscuro' style of light and shade
Roberta Lapucci, conservation chief at Florence's prestigious Studio Art Centers International institute, investigated the theory after building a camera obscura with British artist David Hockney. 'We were already sure Caravaggio projected images of his sitters, but we have now found mercury salt in his canvases,' she said.
The team found evidence that a luminescent powder made from crushed fireflies, at the time used in the theatre, was used to 'fix' the image. The same technique was later used by 19th century photographers.
Experts have long suspected Caravaggio of using early darkroom techniques. He is said to have turned his studio into a giant camera obscura, making a hole in the roof in his efforts.
Hockney wrote in his 2001 book Secret Knowledge that Caravaggio and later the Flemish baroque artist Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) used optical instruments to compose their paintings.
However the idea of using lens and mirrors to project an image was first written about nearly a century before Caravaggio by Leonardo da Vinci. It is believed that philosopher Giovanni Battista della Porta inspired Caravaggio to use the technique.
'There is lots of proof, notably the fact that Caravaggio never made preliminary sketches,' said Mrs Lapucci.
The prolonged use of mercury, which can affect the central nervous system, is also a possible explanation for the artist's notorious temper. Caravaggio was famously forced to flee to Malta after the death of an adversary in Rome in 1606.
Supper at Emmaus, 1601: Caravaggio is being hailed as the first master of photography after chemicals in his canvases showed evidence of the technique
'You get the image by turning the whole studio into the camera obscura, but you need darkness, and the problem is you cannot paint in darkness,' she continued.
'X-ray fluorescence shows the presence of the mercury salt in his canvases. That is not uncommon because it was used in glue, but we are awaiting proof he was using it on the surface, in his primer.'
New technology: This photograph of a leaf was taken by British pottery maker Thomas Wedgwood and his assistant Humphrey Davy in 1790 and is probably the world's first true photograph
The 'burnt' image would have only been visible in the dark, however, and would disappear after around 30 minutes, but chemical traces have led the researchers to believe that Caravaggio resolved the problem by using a white lead paint mixed with barium sulphate to make it luminous in order to see where he was sketching.
Experts believe that the theory explains why so many of the artist's subjects were left-handed, because the image had been reversed when projected onto the canvas.
'This anomaly disappears in the artist's later works, a sign that the instruments he used were improving. Also thanks to technical progress, his paintings gain a lot in depth of field over the years,' said Mrs Lapucci
The theory has attracted criticism from many art historians, who say the theory has not been adequately proven, and that it devalues the artist's genius.
'His mastery of certain techniques before his time in no way diminishes his genius.
To the contrary: Clearly, you can't just project images on a canvas and copy them to become a Caravaggio,' defended Mrs Lapucci.
'If evidence was found, that would be amazing,' said Caravaggio expert Dr John Spike. 'But it would involve taking samples from some of the world's greatest masterpieces, which is not ideal.
'We know that he worked in a dark room and that he was fascinated by mirrors, and he was living in Rome at a time when it was a hotbed of scientific inquiry.
'Might he have used this technique? It's possible – his protector, Cardinal Del Monte, was also the protector of Galileo, and they were all fascinated by optics and the new physics.'
dailymail.co.uk
But a 16th century Italian painter may have experimented with photography in his masterpieces. His paintings were not true photographs, but were some sort of combination of painting and photograph.
An Anglo-Italian team has found evidence that a luminescent powder made from crushed fireflies, at the time used in the theatre, was used to 'fix' the image onto the canvas. The same technique was later used by 19th century photographers.
Was Caravaggio the first master of photography? How Baroque artist used techniques 200 years before invention of the camera
By Tamara Abraham
11th March 2009
Daily Mail
Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio is being hailed as the first artist to to use photographic techniques - 200 years before the invention of the camera.
New research has showed that works by 16th century master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), who was famed for his realistic style and dramatic 'chiaroscuro' effect of light and shade, showed mercury salt in the canvases.
The light-sensitive chemical turned his canvas into a basic film, 'burning' the images before sketching.
Judith and Holofernes, 1598-9: Caravaggio was famous for his realistic style and 'chiaroscuro' style of light and shade
Roberta Lapucci, conservation chief at Florence's prestigious Studio Art Centers International institute, investigated the theory after building a camera obscura with British artist David Hockney. 'We were already sure Caravaggio projected images of his sitters, but we have now found mercury salt in his canvases,' she said.
The team found evidence that a luminescent powder made from crushed fireflies, at the time used in the theatre, was used to 'fix' the image. The same technique was later used by 19th century photographers.
Experts have long suspected Caravaggio of using early darkroom techniques. He is said to have turned his studio into a giant camera obscura, making a hole in the roof in his efforts.
Hockney wrote in his 2001 book Secret Knowledge that Caravaggio and later the Flemish baroque artist Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) used optical instruments to compose their paintings.
However the idea of using lens and mirrors to project an image was first written about nearly a century before Caravaggio by Leonardo da Vinci. It is believed that philosopher Giovanni Battista della Porta inspired Caravaggio to use the technique.
'There is lots of proof, notably the fact that Caravaggio never made preliminary sketches,' said Mrs Lapucci.
The prolonged use of mercury, which can affect the central nervous system, is also a possible explanation for the artist's notorious temper. Caravaggio was famously forced to flee to Malta after the death of an adversary in Rome in 1606.
Supper at Emmaus, 1601: Caravaggio is being hailed as the first master of photography after chemicals in his canvases showed evidence of the technique
'You get the image by turning the whole studio into the camera obscura, but you need darkness, and the problem is you cannot paint in darkness,' she continued.
'X-ray fluorescence shows the presence of the mercury salt in his canvases. That is not uncommon because it was used in glue, but we are awaiting proof he was using it on the surface, in his primer.'
New technology: This photograph of a leaf was taken by British pottery maker Thomas Wedgwood and his assistant Humphrey Davy in 1790 and is probably the world's first true photograph
The 'burnt' image would have only been visible in the dark, however, and would disappear after around 30 minutes, but chemical traces have led the researchers to believe that Caravaggio resolved the problem by using a white lead paint mixed with barium sulphate to make it luminous in order to see where he was sketching.
Experts believe that the theory explains why so many of the artist's subjects were left-handed, because the image had been reversed when projected onto the canvas.
'This anomaly disappears in the artist's later works, a sign that the instruments he used were improving. Also thanks to technical progress, his paintings gain a lot in depth of field over the years,' said Mrs Lapucci
The theory has attracted criticism from many art historians, who say the theory has not been adequately proven, and that it devalues the artist's genius.
'His mastery of certain techniques before his time in no way diminishes his genius.
To the contrary: Clearly, you can't just project images on a canvas and copy them to become a Caravaggio,' defended Mrs Lapucci.
'If evidence was found, that would be amazing,' said Caravaggio expert Dr John Spike. 'But it would involve taking samples from some of the world's greatest masterpieces, which is not ideal.
'We know that he worked in a dark room and that he was fascinated by mirrors, and he was living in Rome at a time when it was a hotbed of scientific inquiry.
'Might he have used this technique? It's possible – his protector, Cardinal Del Monte, was also the protector of Galileo, and they were all fascinated by optics and the new physics.'
dailymail.co.uk