Chasing the Illusive Image: The Origins, Identification, and Care of Antique Photographs
Jeffrey W. Allison, VMFA

July 10, 2014 at 6:00 pm at the Menokin Visitor’s Center.
Cost is $10 per person.
Light refreshments will be provided.

This exciting opportunity being offered by Menokin, in conjunction with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will interest history buffs and photographers alike, as well as those folks interested in genealogy.

In this lecture, Chasing the Illusive Image: The Origins, Identification, and Care of Antique Photographs, Jeffrey W. Allison, photography historian and Manager of Statewide Programs and Exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will discuss the history of photography and how to identify and care for the various types of old photographs in your own collection. He will also share information on how to determine the year a photograph was made and share examples of historic photographic processes.

Participants will view examples of early photograph, including a wonderful Daguerreotype from 1844, and learn the differences between that and later Ambrotypes and Tintypes.

“Rockland” –  I will be submitting this picture of my husband’s ancestral home, where we now live. Can’t wait to find out what year it was taken to see if we can figure out who’s in the photograph.

Bring your own photographs to share with Mr. Allison and other attendees. You’ll leave this interactive session with a sound basis on how to identify photographs using information provided in handouts, reference websites and book titles used by Allison in his work with the VMFA.

This includes tips for proper care and storage of various kinds of antique photographs and negatives, as well as the storage and preservation of today’s digital images, which are in greater danger of being lost than any of the 100-year-old images people are likely to own.

The Menokin Foundation is a Statewide Community Partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The collaboration allows Menokin to offer cultural and educational programs provided by the VMFA to our local community.