A greater understandings of colour objects in museum and heritage collections: Digitising Autochromes
The Autochrome Lumière was the first commercially successful colour photography process. Autochromes pose many conservation considerations. Notably, autochromes are highly light sensitive and the colours are prone to fading. For these reasons, many international public institutions do not display their autochrome collections and instead exhibit facsimile copies. There are also restrictions around public access and digitisation processes. These practices underscore the need for non-invasive methods to provide public access and insight without compromising preservation.
The EU project PERCEIVE (http://perceive-horizon.eu http://perceive-horizon.eu/>) seeks to form greater understandings of colour objects in museum and heritage collections. The V&A’s collection of over two thousand autochrome plates is the basis for a study looking at early colour photography. At the Colourlab at NTNU, spectral imaging is being used to separate the overlapping visual elements of autochrome plates—the optical properties of color dyes and the photographic image itself. This information will be used for a range of results, which will include the virtual restoration of damaged autochromes and a consideration of the potential of digital heritage.
To conclude, we will discuss our survey of current digitisation practices relating to autochromes. This information will inform ways to address the unique obstacles that autochrome plates presents in terms of their digitisation.
Speakers:

  • Giorgio Trumpy: Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (https://www.ntnu.edu/colourlab#/view/about) and founding member of Scan2Screen GmbH (scan2screen.com http://scan2screen.com/>). Imaging Scientist with solid experience in bridging the gap between art and science. Fields of expertise span from optics to spectroscopy, from colorimetry to image processing, from heritage conservation to visual arts.
  • Catlin Langford: Curator, writer and researcher specialising in photography. She has held curatorial and teaching positions at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Collection Trust, and Royal College of Art. Her debut publication ‘Colour Mania: Photographing the World in Autochrome’ (Thames & Hudson/V&A) was published in 2022. She is presently working with the V&A’s autochrome collection as part of PERCEIVE.