Book Description

The book presents for the first time the restoration of Amundsen’s glass slides, one of the most beautiful collections of slides in the world. The 248 slides are the photographic testimony of three great explorations: the Northwest Passage (1903-1906), the conquest of the South Pole (1910-1912) and the Maud expedition (1918-1925). Discovered by chance in 1986, the slides were restored in 2009 by Pietro Librici at the National Library of Norway, in a continuous cooperation with the institute team. The restoration is presented analytically in its methodological, technical, scientific and operational aspects, constituting an updated model of intervention. Critical historical studies that accompanied the restoration and the expressive features of the slides have also led the author to identify Amundsen’s own style which lies between documentary photography and photographic documentation and make the book a particular opportunity to immerse in the charm of polar expeditions, in the first years of the 20th century when the poles were the only areas of terra incognita left on the world map. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ONE – POLAR EXPLORATIONS HORLICKS MALTED MILK! ON THE WAY OF CONFERENCES BIOGRAPHY THE NORTH WEST PASSAGE EXPEDITION THE CONQUEST OF THE SOUTH POLE MAUD EXPEDITION TWO – LANTERN SLIDES: MATERIALS, PROCESSES & TECHNIQUE STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION Support Binder Photosensitive substance – STRUCTURE OF THE CRYSTAL LATTICE – PROPERTIES OF CRYSTALS – PRINCIPLE OF GURNEY AND MOTT Photographic Emulsion Colours Paper PROCEDURE AND TECHNIQUE: SLIDES WITH GELATIN-SILVER SALTS NEGATIVE THE MAGIC LANTERN The magic lantern as a commercial resource The development of the magic lantern: origin and technical description Light sources – OIL LAMP – LIME LIGHT – KEROSENE OIL (COAL OIL) – ELECTRIC LIGHT Lantern Slides – PAINTED SLIDES – LITOGRAPH/DECA SLIDES – PHOTOGRAPHIC SLIDES Special effects slides – SLIP SLIDES – LEVER SLIDES – REVOLVING SLIDES – CHROMATROPES – SPECIALIZED SLIDES Iconographic repertoire THREE – ANALYSIS AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE RESTORED MATERIAL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES Digital imaging Photographic observation Stereomicroscope with fibre optic illuminators Optical microscopy (OM) Images of ultraviolet fluorescence VISUAL ANALYSIS Three types of slides Previous “Conservative Operations” Emulsion & image Category Identification ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL DETERIORATION Glass Gelatin Silver – SULPHIDE – REDOX Paper Colouring CONDITION REPORT Result FOUR – RESTORATION GUIDELINES ORDERING AND INVENTORY FIRST CLEANSING: GLASS AND PAPER ELEMENTS PAPER ELEMENTS Materials Cleansing Permanent or temporary removal of the sealing paper and labels Adhesions, reinforcements and the joining of tears in sealing paper and labels Replacement of sealing paper Masking paper COVER GLASS PLATES Material Cleansing Replacement EMULSIFIED GLASS PLATES Reinforcements Integration of the broken corners Sandwich – ADHESIVE PLASTERS – SYNTHETIC RESINS – TESTING OF SANDWICH – CONSIDERATIONS ON THE VARIOUS METHODS – CREATION OF THE SANDWICH EMULSION Cleansing Pictorial touch up FINAL NUMBERING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CONSERVATION MATERIALS FOR STORAGE International Ruling ISO 10214 Cardboard boxes Grooves drawers Polyvinylchloride (PVC) pockets SOME DESCRIPTION SHEET FIVE – PHOTOGRAPHY AND INFORMATION PHOTOGRAPHY AS DOCUMENT DOCUMENTARY STYLE AMUNDSEN’S STYLE:BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION AND DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY ARRAYS COLLECTION OF THE SLIDES BIBLIOGRAPHY