Aristotype

About

Aristotypes are part of the silver direct darkening processes known as “three-layer” techniques: a paper support, a layer of barium sulfate (white pigment) mixed with gelatin, and finally an image layer containing silver chloride suspended in gelatin or collodion.

Construction du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris : mise en place du tablier métallique, vue du le bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville, 4ème arrondissement, Union photographique française, 1899, 38,7 x 48,6 cm, musée Carnavalet

As the first industrial paper production process it offered many improvements to the practice of photography such as ease of use, because it was ready to use, increased sensitivity and better conservation. It gradually supplanted albumen paper from the 1880s onwards, and then began to be abandoned after the Second World War, in favour of developing papers, which reduced exposure times and freed photographers from the format constraints of contact printing. However, Kodak, and later Guilleminot in particular, continued to produce aristotype papers until the 1990s.

Historical period of production and use

The collodion aristotype was marketed in 1867 by the Société de leptographie following the work of Warton Simpson in England, published in 1865, and of Martinez Sanchez and Jean Laurent in Spain in 1866. It was the first positive silver collodio-chloride emulsion and also the first paper manufactured industrially presensitised. Collodio-silver chloride papers were then marketed in Germany by Obernetter in 1868 and by Kurz in 1889 under the name ‘celloidin paper’.

The gelatin aristotype, also known as ‘direct darkening gelatin-silver chloride paper’ or ‘citrate paper’, introduced in 1882 by the Englishman William de Abney, was mainly used by amateurs. It was first produced industrially in Germany in 1884 by Liesegang, who gave it the name ‘aristotype’. In France, the development of this printing technique began in 1892 with the marketing of ‘Aristo’ paper by the Lumière brothers. It was from this commercial name that the whole photographic papers’ family came to be known in France. At the same time, P.O.P. (Printing-Out Paper) was launched by Ilford and Solio® paper by Kodak. These papers were not very sensitive, but offered very good definition.

Manufacturing

As it is a Printing-Out Paper process, exposure is made through contact with the negative in a printing frame, producing a positive print on paper with identical dimensions to the negative. After rinsing, the print is fixed and then toned, usually in a gold chloride bath, then washed. Self-toning papers were sold later on the market.

The use of a baryta layer applied between the paper and the image layer makes it possible to achieve purer whites than with the albumen paper, the definition and tonal ranges of the image layer. Being hidden by the baryta layer, the paper fibres are no longer visible, unlike with single- or double-layer processes. These papers are often glossy but can be made matt by controlling their surface rugosity by adding matting agents.

Identification

Aristotypes offer very good image definition as well as warm tones, which vary from reddish-brown to purplish-grey depending on the type of toning and the nature of the binder used in the preparation of the image layer. They can look glossy or matt. Hidden by the layer of barium sulfate, the paper fibers are no longer visible, unlike in single- or double-layer processes. While it is often possible to identify binders by visual examination of the print, in some cases, it may require further scientific analysis. Collodion aristotypes show colourful iridescence when viewed under fluorescent light.

Deterioration

The aristotype - whether collodion or gelatin-based - offers good chemical stability if it has been correctly fixed and washed at the time of printing. They may exhibit the same types of deterioration as silver-based images (fading, sulfuration, “silver mirror” effect).

Credits

Visual Glossary of Photographic Processes © ARCP / Mairie de Paris, 2023

Glossary

Albumen Print

Aristotype

Autochrome

Carbon Print

Chromogenic Prints

Collodion Glass Plate Negative

Portrait Crayon

Cyanotype