Désiré Charles Emanuel van Monckhoven (1834–1882) was a Belgian

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of ...

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

, and photographic researcher. He was also an inventor and author.Day, Lance ''et al.'' (1996)
''Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology,'' p. 495.
/ref>

Background

Monckhoven studied chemistry and lived at Ghent, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. At 18 he published his ''Traite general de pbotographie'', In 1862 he published ''Traite populaire de photographie sur collodion''. He introduced the dialytic enlarger and in 1864 made improvements to David Acheson Woodward's solar camera used for making photographic enlargements. Monckhoven also studied photographic optics, publishing ''Photographische Optik'', in 1866. In 1867 he moved to Vienna and set up a studio with portrait photographer Rabending before returning to Ghent in 1870. Here he set up a laboratory where he carried out experiments in the ripening of gelatine silver bromide. ''Instruction sur le procede au gelatino-bromure d' argent'' was published in 1879 and ''Du gelatino-bromure d' argent'' in 1880.

Works

He wrote several of the earliest books on

photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...

and photographic optics. His original French works were later translated to English and other languages. He invented or developed an enlarger (1864),Hannavy, John. (2008)
''Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-century Photography,'' p. 1438.
/ref> a dry collodion process (1871), improvements of the carbon print process (1875–80), and improved silver-bromide gelatine emulsions. T3- d126 - Fig. 78. — Appareil d’agrandissement de M. Monckhoven.png, Enlarger T3- d127 - Fig. 79. — Effet de l’appareil de M. Monckhoven.png

Selected work

* 1857 – ''Méthodes simplifiées de photographie sur papier'' (Simplified methods of photography on paper). Paris : Marion. * 1858 – ''Procédé nouveau de photographie sur plaques de fer: et notice sur les vernis photographiques et le collodion sec'' (A new process of photography on ferrous plates). Paris : A. Gaudin
OCLC 7011879
* 1862 – ''Traité populaire de photographie sur collodion.'' Paris: Lieber
OCLC 17454826
* 1863 – ''A Popular Treatise on Photography: also A description of, and remarks on, The stereoscope and photographic optics'' (tr. W.H. Thornthwaite) London: Virtue Brothers
OCLC 17368038
''See'

* 1867 �
''Photographic Optics; Including the Description of Lenses and Enlarging Apparatus.''
London: Robert Hardwicke
OCLC 5332903
– reprinted by Arno Press, New York.
OCLC 4642259

Notes

References

* Beach, Frederick Converse
"Modern amateur photography,"
''

Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...

''. January 1889. pp. 288–297. * Day, Lance and Ian McNeil. (1996)
''Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology.''
London:

Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group is an international company originating in the United Kingdom that publishes books and academic journals. Its parts include Taylor & Francis, CRC Press, Routledge, F1000 (publisher), F1000 Research and Dovepress. It i ...

. * Hannavy, John. (2008)
''Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-century Photography.''
London: CRC Press. * "The Late Dr. Van Monckhoven," ''Nature''. Volume 26, Issue 677, pp. 601– 602 (October 1882).

External links