SCIART: Science and Preservation of the Daguerreotype

技术概要：该项目将使用最新的材料和物理科学工具，技术，经验和方法来了解达盖尔照相法的退化模式，以帮助保护国家收藏的第一批摄影图像。对银版照相法最全面的科学研究是在大约30年前完成的。在随后的几年里，改进的监测技术显示，有令人震惊的恶化发生与达盖尔照相，我们目前的知识体系并没有提供解决方案。本项目的目的就是满足这一需求。具体目标是：（1）开发和应用新的分析工具和技术，以了解银版照相术的科学，特别是其降解途径;（2）使用最先进的仪器研究图像形成机制、组成材料的微观和纳米结构，重点是降解标记、副产物和动力学;（3）将基本理解转化为保护协议，利用有助于我们理解基本材料科学的方式，转化为保护一系列不可替代的国家遗产文物的技术和工艺;（4）对原作艺术家的技术有新的认识;（5）为银版照相术的保存发展多目标的保存方法和程序，同时考虑到在储藏室和现代展示环境中与环境的复杂相互作用;（6）有助于理解早期达盖尔照相术家如何报道彩色图像;（七）利用独特的历史记录和收藏的达盖尔照相术制造文物内举行的大量收藏的达盖尔照相术和相关技术在乔治伊斯曼楼解开神秘的在不同的19世纪达盖尔照相术的产品之间观察到的差异。(8)培养能够解决影响保护科学的基本问题的下一代科学家。 非技术性总结：在需要先进的科学保护研究的艺术和文化遗产中，有一类是与众不同的：“摄影”现象。1839年，路易-雅克-芒代·达盖尔发现了第一批摄影作品--达盖尔银版照相法，即“记忆之镜“。银版照相术迅速受到赞赏和商业化，只在相对较短的时期内蓬勃发展，被纸张和“胶片”摄影所取代。在其流行期间，达盖尔照相术不仅用于记录人物形象，还用于创建国家边界，城市景观和建筑物的历史记录。达盖尔照相术被探险家用来记录他们的旅行和发现。因此，达盖尔照相法是我们历史的一种不可替代的记录，特别容易受到退化和损失的影响。作为一个科学兴趣的对象，银版照相术脱颖而出，因为创建图像的基本过程来自纳米科学，因此其研究需要跨学科，最先进的工具和技术。该项目的总体目标是应用21世纪的纳米科学和材料化学技术来理解和保护19世纪的偶然发现的“纳米技术”。新一代的达盖尔银版照相术研究是必要的，这样博物馆，保护者和保护科学家就可以防止记录在案的许多（如果不是所有）达盖尔银版照相术所表现出的快速退化。从长远来看，该项目将开发基于科学的恢复治疗。该团队将通过了解退化机制和开发满足最高道德标准的可控和可量化的保护方法来满足这一需求。除了促进科学理解和保护任务外，该项目还将培养下一代科学家-来自不同背景的杰出科学家和工程师，他们也将成为保护我们文化遗产对象的影响和道德方面的专家。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project will use the latest material and physical sciences tools, techniques, experience and methodology to understand the degradation modes of the daguerreotype in order to help preserve the Nation's collections of the first photographic images. The most comprehensive scientific studies of the daguerreotype were done approximately 30 years ago. In the ensuing years improved monitoring techniques have revealed that there is alarming deterioration occurring with daguerreotypes, and that our current body of knowledge does not provide solutions. The purpose of this project is to address this need. Specific goals are: (1) To develop and deploy new analytic tools and techniques, so as to understand the science of the daguerreotype and specifically its degradation pathways; (2) To use state-of-the art instruments to investigate the image formation mechanisms, the micro and nano structure of the component materials with an emphasis on the degradation markers, byproducts and dynamics; (3) To translate fundamental understanding to preservation protocols, exploiting modalities that will contribute to our understanding of basic material science, to the techniques and technology of preservation of a family of irreplaceable national heritage objects; (4) To contribute new understanding of the techniques of the original artists; (5) To develop multi-target preservation treatments and protocols for daguerreotype preservation taking into account the complex interactions with the environment found both in storage vaults and in modern display environments; (6) To contribute to the understanding of how it was possible that color images were reported by some early daguerreotypists; (7) To leverage the unique historical records and collections of daguerreotype fabrication artifacts held within the vast collections of daguerreotypes and associated technology at the George Eastman House to unravel the mysterious differences observed among the products of different 19th century daguerreotypists. (8) To train the next generation of scientists capable of addressing fundamental problems that impact preservation science. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Among art and cultural heritage objects requiring advanced scientific preservation research, one category stands apart: the phenomenon of "photography." The first photographic images the world saw were those arising from the discovery of Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in 1839 - the daguerreotype or "mirror with a memory." Quickly appreciated and commercialized, the daguerreotype thrived for only a comparatively short period, being replaced by paper and "film" based photography. During its popularity, daguerreotypes were not only used to record images of people, but to create historical records of national borders, city-scapes, and buildings. Daguerreotypes were taken by explorers to document their travels and findings. Thus daguerreotypes represent an irreplaceable record of our history that is exceptionally vulnerable to degradation and loss. As an object of scientific interest, the daguerreotype stands out because the underlying processes that create the image derives from nano-science and thus its study demands interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art tools and techniques. The overarching goal of this project is to apply 21st nanoscience and material chemistry techniques to understanding and preserving the 19th century's serendipitous "nanotechnology". A new generation of daguerreotype research is called for so museums, conservators, and conservation scientists can prevent the documented rapid deterioration exhibited by many if not all daguerreotypes. In the long term, this project will develop restorative treatments that are scientifically based. The team will address this need by understanding the degradation mechanisms and developing controllable and quantifiable conservation methods that satisfy the highest ethical standards. In addition to contributing to scientific understanding and the preservation mandate, this project will train the next generation of SCIARTisans - exceptional scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds who will also be experts in the impact and ethics of preservation of our cultural heritage objects.