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| Meta Title | Valentino | Fashion Designer, Red, Death, & Facts | Britannica |
| Meta Description | Valentino was an Italian fashion designer known for garments in his trademark âValentino redâ (ârosso Valentinoâ) and whose style was described as jet-set chic. His well-known clients included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Jacqueline Kennedy. Learn more about Valentinoâs life and career. |
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| Boilerpipe Text | Top Questions
Who invented the photograph and why?
What was the first picture ever taken?
What was the first color photograph?
history of photography
, a survey of the historical and
aesthetic
aspects of still photography, the method of
recording
the image of an object through the action of
light
, or related
radiation
, on a light-sensitive material. The word
photography
, derived from the Greek
photos
(âlightâ) and
graphein
(âto drawâ), was first used in the 1830s.
For a discussion of the technical aspects of the medium,
see
technology of photography
. For a treatment of
motion-picture photography
, or cinematography,
see
history of motion picture
, and
motion-picture technology
.
(Read Ansel Adamsâs 1947 Britannica essay on photographic art.)
General considerations
Frank Sadorus: Photographing Life on the Illinois Plains
Learn more about life on the plains with the photography of Frank Sadorus.
See all videos for this article
As a means of visual
communication
and expression,
photography
has distinct
aesthetic
capabilities. In order to understand them, one must first understand the characteristics of the process itself. One of the most important characteristics is immediacy. Usually, but not necessarily, the
image
that is recorded is formed by a
lens
in a camera. Upon exposure to the light forming the image, the sensitive material undergoes changes in its structure, a
latent
(but reversed) image usually called a
negative
is formed, and the image becomes visible by development and permanent by fixing with sodium thiosulfate, called âhypo.â With modern materials, the processing may take place immediately or may be delayed for weeks or months.
The essential elements of the image are usually established immediately at the time of exposure. This characteristic is unique to photography and sets it apart from other ways of picture making. The seemingly automatic recording of an image by photography has given the process a sense of authenticity shared by no other picture-making technique. The photograph possesses, in the popular mind, such apparent accuracy that the
adage
âthe camera does not lieâ has become an accepted, if
erroneous
, cliché.
This understanding of photographyâs supposed objectivity has dominated evaluations of its role in the arts. In the early part of its history, photography was sometimes belittled as a mechanical art because of its dependence on
technology
. In truth, however, photography is not the automatic process that is implied by the use of a camera. Although the camera usually limits the photographer to depicting existing objects rather than imaginary or interpretive views, the skilled photographer can introduce creativity into the mechanical reproduction process. The image can be modified by different lenses and filters. The type of sensitive material used to record the image is a further control, and the contrast between highlight and shadow can be changed by variations in development. In
printing
the negative, the photographer has a wide choice in the physical surface of the paper, the tonal contrast, and the image
color
. The photographer also may set up a completely artificial scene to photograph.
The most important control is, of course, the creative photographerâs vision. He or she chooses the vantage point and the exact moment of exposure. The photographer perceives the essential qualities of the subject and interprets it according to his or her judgment, taste, and involvement. An effective photograph can
disseminate
information about humanity and nature, record the visible world, and extend human knowledge and understanding. For all these reasons, photography has aptly been called the most important invention since the
printing press
.
Trusted knowledge for those who want to know more.
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Inventing the medium
Antecedents
Principle of the camera obscura
The forerunner of the camera was the camera obscura, a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall.
The forerunner of the camera was the
camera obscura
, a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall. The principle was probably known to the Chinese and to ancient Greeks such as
Aristotle
more than 2,000 years ago. Late in the 16th century, the Italian scientist and writer
Giambattista della Porta
demonstrated and described in detail the use of a camera obscura with a lens. While artists in
subsequent
centuries commonly used variations on the camera obscura to create images they could trace, the results from these devices depended on the artistâs
drawing
skills, and so scientists continued to search for a method to reproduce images completely mechanically.
In 1727 the German professor of anatomy
Johann Heinrich Schulze proved that the darkening of
silver
salts, a phenomenon known since the 16th century and possibly earlier, was caused by light and not heat. He demonstrated the fact by using sunlight to record words on the salts, but he made no attempt to preserve the images permanently. His discovery, in combination with the camera obscura, provided the basic technology necessary for photography. It was not until the early 19th century, however, that photography actually came into being.
Early experiments
Heliography
Nicéphore Niépce
, an
amateur
inventor living near
Chalon-sur-SaĂŽne
, a city 189 miles (304 km) southeast of
Paris
, was interested in
lithography
, a process in which drawings are copied or drawn by hand onto lithographic stone and then printed in ink. Not artistically trained, Niépce devised a method by which light could draw the pictures he needed. He oiled an engraving to make it transparent and then placed it on a
plate
coated with a light-sensitive solution of
bitumen
of Judea (a type of asphalt) and lavender oil and exposed the setup to sunlight. After a few hours, the solution under the light areas of the engraving hardened, while that under the dark areas remained soft and could be washed away, leaving a permanent, accurate copy of the engraving. Calling the process heliography (âsun drawingâ), NiĂ©pce succeeded from 1822 onward in copying oiled engravings onto lithographic stone,
glass
, and
zinc
and from 1826 onto
pewter
plates.
Nicéphore Niépce:
View from the Window at Le Gras
The earliest known surviving photograph, called the
View from the Window at Le Gras
, was made on a polished pewter plate by Nicéphore Niépce, 1826 or 1827; in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin.
In 1826/27, using a camera obscura fitted with a pewter plate, Niépce produced the first successful photograph from nature, a view of the courtyard of his country estate, Le Gras, from an upper
window
of the house. The exposure time was about eight hours, during which the
sun
moved from east to west so that it appears to shine on both sides of the building.
Niépce produced his most successful copy of an engraving, a portrait of
Cardinal dâAmboise, in 1826. It was exposed in about three hours, and in February 1827 he had the pewter plate etched to form a
printing
plate and had two prints pulled. Paper prints were the final aim of NiĂ©pceâs
heliographic
process,
yet
all his other attempts, whether made by using a
camera
or by means of engravings, were underexposed and too weak to be etched. Nevertheless, NiĂ©pceâs discoveries showed the path that others were to follow with more success. |
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[Valentino](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino)
- [Introduction & Top Questions](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino)
- [Childhood and early career](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino#ref465839)
- [Fashion empire](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino#ref465840)
- [Later life](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino#ref465841)
[References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino/additional-info) [Quick Facts & Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/Valentino)
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[](https://cdn.britannica.com/77/199177-050-7843D61F/Valentino-2009.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/283215-050-0858A46B/Jennifer-Aniston-2004-movie-premiere.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/14/283214-050-74D0DD5F/Elizabeth-Taylor-Kirk-Douglas-Spartacus-party-1961.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/16/283216-050-15CD7F77/Jackie-Kennedy-Onassis-wedding-day-1968.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/19/283219-050-51D7DDC2/Princess-Diana-Valentino-dress-1992.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/20/283220-050-8D4A1CA6/Viola-Davis-Cannes-Film-Festival.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/17/283217-050-C276CB00/Julia-Roberts-2001-Academy-Awards.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/18/283218-050-6D443BDE/Cate-Blanchett-2005-Oscars.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/21/283221-050-FFAEF425/Italian-fashion-designer-Valentino-2007.jpg)
Related Questions
- [What was Valentino known for?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-was-Valentino-known-for)
- [What happened to Valentinoâs fashion house after he retired?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-happened-to-Valentinos-fashion-house-after-he-retired)
- [Was Valentino married?](https://www.britannica.com/question/Was-Valentino-married)
- [What is the fashion industry?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-the-fashion-industry)
- [How did the fashion industry evolve?](https://www.britannica.com/question/How-did-the-fashion-industry-evolve)
Contents
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[](https://cdn.britannica.com/77/199177-050-7843D61F/Valentino-2009.jpg)
[Valentino](https://cdn.britannica.com/77/199177-050-7843D61F/Valentino-2009.jpg) Italian designer Valentino attending the premiere of *Valentino: The Last Emperor*, a documentary about his life and career, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 2009.
(more)
# Valentino
Italian fashion designer
Homework Help
Also known as: Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani
Written and fact-checked by
[Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419)
Britannica Editors
[History](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valentino/additional-info#history)
 Britannica AI
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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Top Questions
### What was Valentino known for?
The Italian fashion designer Valentino was known for the luxurious gowns he created for celebrities and royals, including [Elizabeth Taylor](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Taylor), [Audrey Hepburn](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Audrey-Hepburn), [Julia Roberts](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julia-Roberts), [Cate Blanchett](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cate-Blanchett), [Jacqueline Kennedy](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacqueline-Kennedy-Onassis), [Princess Margaret of England](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Princess-Margaret), and [Princess Diana](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diana-princess-of-Wales). His signature color was âValentino red,â a mix of carmine and scarlet with a hint of orange, which he used for at least one dress in each of his collections.
### What happened to Valentinoâs fashion house after he retired?
After Valentino retired in 2008, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli became the fashion houseâs creative directors. Chiuri left for Dior in 2016, and Piccioli exited in 2024 (he joined Balenciaga as creative director in 2025), after which Alessandro Michele became the creative director. Valentino had sold the fashion house to the Italian conglomerate HdP for some \$300 million in 1998 but remained the designer for another 10 years. In the 21st century the fashion house was acquired by the Marzotto Group (2002), a family-owned textile manufacturer; then by Permira (2007), a private equity firm; and followed by Mayhoola (2012), a private Qatari investment company managed by the royal family. In 2023 the French luxury conglomerate Kering purchased a 30 percent stake in Valentino with plans to acquire the house in full by the end of the decade.
### Was Valentino married?
The Italian fashion designer Valentino neither married nor had children. He had a long-term relationship with Giancarlo Giammetti, his business partner. The relationship ended in 1972, but the two continued to work together and remained close. In 1982 Valentino began a relationship with Bruce Hoeksema, then a model for the brand. They were together at the time of Valentinoâs death in 2026.
**Valentino** (born May 11, 1932, Voghera, Italyâdied January 19, 2026, Rome, Italy) was an Italian fashion designer known for garments in his trademark âValentino redâ (*rosso Valentino*) and whose style was described as jet-set [chic](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/chic).
## Childhood and early career
Valentino was born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, though he primarily went by his [first name](https://www.britannica.com/topic/given-name) throughout his career. He was the second child of Teresa Garavani and Mauro Garavani, and he had a sister, Wanda Garavani, who was born seven years earlier. Mauro Garavani was the director of an electrical supply company, and the family lived in relative affluence. As a child, Valentino was interested in both [fashion](https://www.britannica.com/topic/fashion-society) and [art](https://www.britannica.com/art/visual-arts).
In 1949 Valentino left his home in [Voghera](https://www.britannica.com/place/Voghera), a small town between [Turin](https://www.britannica.com/place/Turin-Italy) and [Milan](https://www.britannica.com/place/Milan-Italy), to study fashion sketching at Milanâs Santa Maria Institute. He also enrolled in a French course, which proved useful when in 1949 he moved to [Paris](https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris) to attend the [Ăcole des Beaux-Arts](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ecole-des-Beaux-Arts) and to study fashion at a school run by the Chambre Syndicale, the French fashion governing body. At that time the Paris fashion scene was a hostile [environment](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environment) for foreigners, particularly Italians. But Valentino won a competition for fashion design run by the International Wool Secretariat (the same prize that [Yves Saint Laurent](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yves-Saint-Laurent-French-designer) and [Karl Lagerfeld](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Karl-Lagerfeld) won in subsequent years), and his prize led to a job at the French couture house of Jean DessĂšs. In 1957 [Guy Laroche](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guy-Laroche), an illustrator at DessĂšs, decided to set up his own fashion house, and Valentino worked with him for two years.
## Fashion empire
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/283215-050-0858A46B/Jennifer-Aniston-2004-movie-premiere.jpg)
[Jennifer Aniston in Valentino](https://cdn.britannica.com/15/283215-050-0858A46B/Jennifer-Aniston-2004-movie-premiere.jpg)American actress Jennifer Aniston arriving at the premiere of *Along Came Polly* (2004) in London, 2004, wearing a recreation of Valentino's âFiestaâ dress, his original red dress.
(more)
In 1959 Valentino returned to Rome and, with the financial backing of his father, presented his first collection in his own salon on Via Condotti. That same year Valentino designed a strapless cocktail [dress](https://www.britannica.com/topic/dress-clothing) in a red [hue](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/hue) that mixed carmine with scarlet and had a hint of orange. It was reportedly inspired by a woman who Valentino had seen at the Barcelona opera wearing red. He called it the âFeistaâ dress and went on to include at least one red dress in each of his collections. [Elizabeth Taylor](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Taylor), who was in Rome shooting *Cleopatra* at the time, spotted Valentinoâs work and placed her order for a white column dress, which she wore for the world premiere of *Spartacus*. Valentinoâs fate was sealed.
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/14/283214-050-74D0DD5F/Elizabeth-Taylor-Kirk-Douglas-Spartacus-party-1961.jpg)
[Elizabeth Taylor in Valentino](https://cdn.britannica.com/14/283214-050-74D0DD5F/Elizabeth-Taylor-Kirk-Douglas-Spartacus-party-1961.jpg)Film stars attending a party in Rome celebrating the 1960 film *Spartacus*, c. 1960s. From left: Anne Douglas, wife of Kirk Douglas; singer Eddie Fisher; actress Elizabeth Taylor (wearing a white column Valentino dress with feather trim); and actor Kirk Douglas.
(more)
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/16/283216-050-15CD7F77/Jackie-Kennedy-Onassis-wedding-day-1968.jpg)
[Jackie Kennedy in Valentino](https://cdn.britannica.com/16/283216-050-15CD7F77/Jackie-Kennedy-Onassis-wedding-day-1968.jpg)Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy attending their wedding on his private island of Skorpios, Greece, in 1968, with Kennedy's daughter, Caroline Kennedy (right). Jackie Kennedy wore a cream lace dress by Valentino.
(more)
In 1960 Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti, an architecture student, who became his partner in charge of the commercial side of the business. The pair also had a [romantic](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romantic) relationship for about a dozen years and remained close after it ended. Valentino debuted his first couture fashion line in 1962 at the Pitti Palace in [Florence](https://www.britannica.com/place/Florence) and began to establish an international reputation. Well-known personalities soon sought him out for designs, including Belgian Queen Paola, [Princess Margaret](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Princess-Margaret) of England, [Audrey Hepburn](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Audrey-Hepburn), and [Jacqueline Kennedy](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacqueline-Kennedy-Onassis). Valentino designed many dresses for Kennedy, including the dress she wore to her [husband](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-F-Kennedy)âs funeral in 1963 and then, in 1968, a dress for her wedding to [Aristotle Onassis](https://www.britannica.com/money/Aristotle-Socrates-Onassis).
Though Valentinoâs trademark color was red, it was a 1967 collection entirely of white, ivory, and beige clothesâhis âno colorâ collectionâthat thrust him into the fashion spotlight and for which he was awarded the Neiman Marcus Award. That collection stood in stark contrast to the bold psychedelic patterns of the time. With the âno colorâ collection he also launched his trademark V logo. In 1969 he opened his first ready-to-wear shop in Milan. He opened stores in [New York City](https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-City) and [Rome](https://www.britannica.com/place/Rome) the following year. The designer went on to enjoy an extremely successful and illustrious career, serving high society and the entertainment world. His [clientele](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele) grew to include Farah Pahlavi, empress of Iran; *Vogue* editor [Diana Vreeland](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diana-Vreeland); and [Diana, princess of Wales](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Diana-princess-of-Wales). Valentino also dressed a number of actresses for the red carpet, including [Julia Roberts](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julia-Roberts) in a vintage 1992 black-and-white gown in 2001 when she won for best actress for *Erin Brockovich* (2000) and [Cate Blanchett](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cate-Blanchett) in a one-shoulder yellow dress with a burgundy belt in 2005 when she won for best supporting actress for *The Aviator* (2004).
Valentino enjoyed an extremely successful and illustrious career, serving high society, the entertainment world, and royalty. His clientele included Diana, princess of Wales, who wore a Valentino burgundy velvet and lace dress to [attend](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attend) a performance of Paul McCartneyâs Liverpool Oratorio in Lille, France, in 1992.
1 of 5
In 1998 Valentino and Giammetti sold the company to the Italian conglomerate HdP for some \$300 million, though Valentino remained the designer. In 2006 he received the French [Legion of Honour](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Legion-of-Honour) medal, and two years later he was the subject of the [documentary](https://www.britannica.com/art/documentary-film) *Valentino: The Last Emperor*. Valentino retired in 2008, and the Italian designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were subsequently appointed as the fashion houseâs [creative](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/creative) directors (Chiuri departed for Dior in 2016 and Piccioli exited in 2024. That year Italian designer Alessandro Michele became the creative director).
Quick Facts
In full:
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani
*(Show more)*
Born:
May 11, 1932, [Voghera](https://www.britannica.com/place/Voghera), [Italy](https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy)
*(Show more)*
Died:
January 19, 2026, [Rome](https://www.britannica.com/place/Rome), [Italy](https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy) (aged 93)
*(Show more)*
Subjects Of Study:
[âValentino: The Last Emperorâ](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valentino-The-Last-Emperor)
*(Show more)*
[See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/Valentino)
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/21/283221-050-FFAEF425/Italian-fashion-designer-Valentino-2007.jpg)
[Valentino](https://cdn.britannica.com/21/283221-050-FFAEF425/Italian-fashion-designer-Valentino-2007.jpg)Italian Fashion designer Valentino attending the opening of âValentino in Rome: 45 Years of Style,â at the Ara Pacis Museum, Rome, in 2007. He is surrounded by a collection of his signature red dresses.
(more)
## Later life
Valentino spent his retirement designing gowns for select clients and for the opera, including the 2016 staging of *La Traviata*, directed by [Sofia Coppola](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sofia-Coppola), at the opera in Rome. He died at age 93 in his home in Rome in 2026. [Giorgia Meloni](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Giorgia-Meloni), the [prime minister](https://www.britannica.com/topic/prime-minister) of [Italy](https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy), paid tribute to him in a [social media](https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-media) post, saying Valentino was an âundisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion.â
[The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419)This article was most recently revised and updated by [Alicja Zelazko](https://www.britannica.com/editor/Alicja-Zelazko/9823860).
Britannica AI
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[history of photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography)
- [Introduction & Top Questions](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography)
- [General considerations](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography#ref252838)
- [Inventing the medium](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography#ref252839)
- [Antecedents](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography#ref252840)
- [Early experiments](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography#ref252841)
- [Heliography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography#ref252842)
- [Daguerreotype](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Daguerreotype)
- [Photogenic drawing](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Daguerreotype#ref252844)
- [Early views of the mediumâs potential](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Daguerreotype#ref252845)
- [Photographyâs early evolution, c. 1840âc. 1900](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photographys-early-evolution-c-1840-c-1900)
- [The revolution of technique](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photographys-early-evolution-c-1840-c-1900#ref252847)
- [Development of the daguerreotype](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photographys-early-evolution-c-1840-c-1900#ref252848)
- [Development of the calotype](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photographys-early-evolution-c-1840-c-1900#ref252849)
- [Development of stereoscopic photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Development-of-stereoscopic-photography)
- [Development of the wet collodion process](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Development-of-stereoscopic-photography#ref252851)
- [Development of the dry plate](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Development-of-stereoscopic-photography#ref252852)
- [Photography of movement](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Development-of-stereoscopic-photography#ref252853)
- [Early attempts at color](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Early-attempts-at-color)
- [Establishing genres](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Early-attempts-at-color#ref252855)
- [Portraiture](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Early-attempts-at-color#ref252856)
- [Photojournalism](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Early-attempts-at-color#ref252857)
- [Documentary photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Documentary-photography)
- [Landscape and architectural documentation](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Documentary-photography#ref252859)
- [Social documentation](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Documentary-photography#ref252860)
- [Photography as art](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-as-art)
- [Early developments](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-as-art#ref252862)
- [Naturalistic photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-as-art#ref252863)
- [Pictorialism and the Linked Ring](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-as-art#ref252864)
- [Perfecting the medium, c. 1900âc. 1945](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Perfecting-the-medium-c-1900-c-1945)
- [The Photo-Secession](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Perfecting-the-medium-c-1900-c-1945#ref252866)
- [The New Objectivity](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Perfecting-the-medium-c-1900-c-1945#ref252867)
- [Experimental approaches](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Experimental-approaches)
- [Documentary photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Experimental-approaches#ref252869)
- [Photojournalism](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photojournalism)
- [Color photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photojournalism#ref252871)
- [Photography c. 1945 to the 21st century](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-c-1945-to-the-21st-century)
- [Postwar developments](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-c-1945-to-the-21st-century#ref252873)
- [Developments from the 1970s to the 1990s](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Photography-c-1945-to-the-21st-century#ref252874)
- [Into the 21st century: The digital age](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/Into-the-21st-century-The-digital-age)
[References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/additional-info) [Related Topics](https://www.britannica.com/facts/photography)
[Images & Videos](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/images-videos)
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/279304-050-4B4452B8/Alfred-Stieglitz-Photographed-Child-With-Striped-Dress-Using-Autochrome-Process-1907.jpg)
[](https://www.britannica.com/video/Life-on-the-Plains-Illinois-Frank-Sadorus-photography/-253810)
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/87/225887-050-91DB5805/Camera-obscura-in-a-realistic-style.jpg)
[](https://www.britannica.com/video/chemistry-processes/-207727)
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/34/198534-050-1C50DFF6/joseph-nicephore-niepce-heliograph.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/96/140496-050-62AEE217/View-of-the-Boulevard-du-Temple-Paris-Louis-Jacques-Mande-Daguerre.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/84/3484-050-A8ABD368/Still-Life-collection-Louis-Jacques-Mande-Daguerre-Societe-Francaise-1837.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/14/128714-050-6950C380/Magazine-of-Science-William-Henry-Fox-Talbot-1839.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/13/43713-050-E383620D/Chief-Justice-Lemuel-Shaw-Albert-Sands-Southworth-Josiah-Johnson-Hawes.jpg) [](https://cdn.britannica.com/71/196871-050-B8665B11/Samurai-Armour-Kusakabe-Kimbei.jpg)
Related Questions
- [Who invented the photograph and why?](https://www.britannica.com/question/Who-invented-the-photograph-and-why)
- [What was the first picture ever taken?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-was-the-first-picture-ever-taken)
- [What was the first color photograph?](https://www.britannica.com/question/What-was-the-first-color-photograph)
Ask Anything
Quick Summary
[Visual Arts](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Visual-Arts) [Photography](https://www.britannica.com/browse/Photography)
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External Websites
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/279304-050-4B4452B8/Alfred-Stieglitz-Photographed-Child-With-Striped-Dress-Using-Autochrome-Process-1907.jpg)
[Alfred Stieglitz: *Child with Striped Dress (Younger Raab Child)*](https://cdn.britannica.com/04/279304-050-4B4452B8/Alfred-Stieglitz-Photographed-Child-With-Striped-Dress-Using-Autochrome-Process-1907.jpg) *Child with Striped Dress (Younger Raab Child)*, autochrome photograph by Alfred Stieglitz, 1907; in the Art Institute of Chicago.
(more)
# history of photography
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[Beaumont Newhall Visiting Professor of Art, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1971â84. Director, George Eastman House, Rochester, New York, 1958â71. Author of *The History of Photography; Latent Image;* and others.](https://www.britannica.com/contributor/Beaumont-Newhall/2133)
Beaumont Newhall[All](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/additional-info#contributors)
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Mar. 25, 2026
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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Top Questions
### Who invented the photograph and why?
The French amateur inventor [NicĂ©phore NiĂ©pce](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicephore-Niepce) is credited with creating the first permanent photograph in 1826 or 1827. It was a black-and-white image of the view outside his window: the courtyard of his country estate, Le Gras. However, the concept of photographyâor at least the principle of projecting an image using lightâwas likely known in the ancient world. Perhaps the earliest written account of the phenomenon was by Chinese philosopher [Mozi](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mozi-Chinese-philosopher) in the 5th century bce. He explained that when the light rays from an object that is illuminated by a light source pass through a pinhole into a dark room, they project an inverted image of the object onto the opposite wall. The projected image, however, was also dynamic, and one of the central reasons 19th-century inventors, including NiĂ©pce, experimented with photography was to make the projected image permanent. NiĂ©pce acknowledged that his photographic process, which he called heliography, needed improvement, and in subsequent decades inventors such as [Louis-Jacques-MandĂ© Daguerre](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Daguerre), [William Henry Fox Talbot](https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Henry-Fox-Talbot), and the [LumiĂšre brothers](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lumiere-brothers) built on each otherâs experiments to improve the photographic process and produce vivid reproductions of the natural world.
### What was the first picture ever taken?
In 1826 or 1827 the French amateur inventor [Nicéphore Niépce](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicephore-Niepce) created the first permanent photograph using a process he called heliography. The method involved applying a light-sensitive [bitumen](https://www.britannica.com/science/bitumen) solution over a polished pewter plate, placing the plate into a small [camera obscura](https://www.britannica.com/technology/camera-obscura-photography), and then positioning the camera obscura near a window. After exposing the plate to sunlight for several hours or possibly days, Niépce captured a black-and-white image of the view outside the window: the courtyard of his country estate, Le Gras. Niépce acknowledged that heliography needed improvement and partnered with [Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-Daguerre), a professional scene painter for the theater, to perfect the process.
### What was the first color photograph?
Scottish mathematician and physicist [James Clerk Maxwell](https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Clerk-Maxwell) is credited with creating the first color photograph in 1861. At Maxwellâs request, British photographer Thomas Sutton took three black-and-white photographs of a Scottish tartan ribbon tied in a rosette, each time with a different colored lens filter: red, green, and blue. They then printed the photographs on glass and projected them simultaneously on a wall during a lecture. This projection is regarded as the first color photograph, and Maxwellâs process provided the foundation for modern color photography.
**history of photography**, a survey of the historical and [aesthetic](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aesthetic) aspects of still photography, the method of [recording](https://www.britannica.com/technology/sound-recording) the image of an object through the action of [light](https://www.britannica.com/science/light), or related [radiation](https://www.britannica.com/science/radiation), on a light-sensitive material. The word *photography*, derived from the Greek *photos* (âlightâ) and *graphein* (âto drawâ), was first used in the 1830s.
For a discussion of the technical aspects of the medium, *see* [technology of photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology-of-photography). For a treatment of [motion-picture photography](https://www.britannica.com/topic/cinematography), or cinematography, *see* [history of motion picture](https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-film), and [motion-picture technology](https://www.britannica.com/technology/motion-picture-technology).
*[(Read Ansel Adamsâs 1947 Britannica essay on photographic art.)](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ansel-Adams-on-photographic-art-2215530)*
## General considerations
[](https://www.britannica.com/video/Life-on-the-Plains-Illinois-Frank-Sadorus-photography/-253810)
Frank Sadorus: Photographing Life on the Illinois PlainsLearn more about life on the plains with the photography of Frank Sadorus.
(more)
[See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/images-videos)
As a means of visual [communication](https://www.britannica.com/topic/communication) and expression, [photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photograph) has distinct [aesthetic](https://www.britannica.com/art/style-art) capabilities. In order to understand them, one must first understand the characteristics of the process itself. One of the most important characteristics is immediacy. Usually, but not necessarily, the [image](https://www.britannica.com/technology/optical-image) that is recorded is formed by a [lens](https://www.britannica.com/technology/lens-optics) in a camera. Upon exposure to the light forming the image, the sensitive material undergoes changes in its structure, a [latent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/latent) (but reversed) image usually called a [negative](https://www.britannica.com/technology/negative) is formed, and the image becomes visible by development and permanent by fixing with sodium thiosulfate, called âhypo.â With modern materials, the processing may take place immediately or may be delayed for weeks or months.
The essential elements of the image are usually established immediately at the time of exposure. This characteristic is unique to photography and sets it apart from other ways of picture making. The seemingly automatic recording of an image by photography has given the process a sense of authenticity shared by no other picture-making technique. The photograph possesses, in the popular mind, such apparent accuracy that the [adage](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adage) âthe camera does not lieâ has become an accepted, if [erroneous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erroneous), clichĂ©.
This understanding of photographyâs supposed objectivity has dominated evaluations of its role in the arts. In the early part of its history, photography was sometimes belittled as a mechanical art because of its dependence on [technology](https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology). In truth, however, photography is not the automatic process that is implied by the use of a camera. Although the camera usually limits the photographer to depicting existing objects rather than imaginary or interpretive views, the skilled photographer can introduce creativity into the mechanical reproduction process. The image can be modified by different lenses and filters. The type of sensitive material used to record the image is a further control, and the contrast between highlight and shadow can be changed by variations in development. In [printing](https://www.britannica.com/topic/printing-publishing) the negative, the photographer has a wide choice in the physical surface of the paper, the tonal contrast, and the image [color](https://www.britannica.com/science/color). The photographer also may set up a completely artificial scene to photograph.
The most important control is, of course, the creative photographerâs vision. He or she chooses the vantage point and the exact moment of exposure. The photographer perceives the essential qualities of the subject and interprets it according to his or her judgment, taste, and involvement. An effective photograph can [disseminate](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disseminate) information about humanity and nature, record the visible world, and extend human knowledge and understanding. For all these reasons, photography has aptly been called the most important invention since the [printing press](https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press).
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## Inventing the medium
## Antecedents
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/87/225887-050-91DB5805/Camera-obscura-in-a-realistic-style.jpg)
[Principle of the camera obscura](https://cdn.britannica.com/87/225887-050-91DB5805/Camera-obscura-in-a-realistic-style.jpg)The forerunner of the camera was the camera obscura, a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall.
(more)
The forerunner of the camera was the [camera obscura](https://www.britannica.com/technology/camera-obscura-photography), a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall. The principle was probably known to the Chinese and to ancient Greeks such as [Aristotle](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle) more than 2,000 years ago. Late in the 16th century, the Italian scientist and writer [Giambattista della Porta](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Giambattista-della-Porta) demonstrated and described in detail the use of a camera obscura with a lens. While artists in [subsequent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/subsequent) centuries commonly used variations on the camera obscura to create images they could trace, the results from these devices depended on the artistâs [drawing](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art) skills, and so scientists continued to search for a method to reproduce images completely mechanically.
In 1727 the German professor of anatomy Johann Heinrich Schulze proved that the darkening of [silver](https://www.britannica.com/science/silver) salts, a phenomenon known since the 16th century and possibly earlier, was caused by light and not heat. He demonstrated the fact by using sunlight to record words on the salts, but he made no attempt to preserve the images permanently. His discovery, in combination with the camera obscura, provided the basic technology necessary for photography. It was not until the early 19th century, however, that photography actually came into being.
## Early experiments
## [Heliography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/heliography)
[](https://www.britannica.com/video/chemistry-processes/-207727)
How Were Photos Made in the Early Days of Photography?Learn about the chemistry of early photographic processes.
(more)
[See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/images-videos)
[NicĂ©phore NiĂ©pce](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicephore-Niepce), an [amateur](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/amateur) inventor living near [Chalon-sur-SaĂŽne](https://www.britannica.com/place/Chalon-sur-Saone), a city 189 miles (304 km) southeast of [Paris](https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris), was interested in [lithography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/lithography), a process in which drawings are copied or drawn by hand onto lithographic stone and then printed in ink. Not artistically trained, NiĂ©pce devised a method by which light could draw the pictures he needed. He oiled an engraving to make it transparent and then placed it on a [plate](https://www.britannica.com/technology/plate-photography) coated with a light-sensitive solution of [bitumen](https://www.britannica.com/science/bitumen) of Judea (a type of asphalt) and lavender oil and exposed the setup to sunlight. After a few hours, the solution under the light areas of the engraving hardened, while that under the dark areas remained soft and could be washed away, leaving a permanent, accurate copy of the engraving. Calling the process heliography (âsun drawingâ), NiĂ©pce succeeded from 1822 onward in copying oiled engravings onto lithographic stone, [glass](https://www.britannica.com/technology/glass), and [zinc](https://www.britannica.com/science/zinc-group-element) and from 1826 onto [pewter](https://www.britannica.com/technology/pewter) plates.
[](https://cdn.britannica.com/34/198534-050-1C50DFF6/joseph-nicephore-niepce-heliograph.jpg)
[Nicéphore Niépce: *View from the Window at Le Gras*](https://cdn.britannica.com/34/198534-050-1C50DFF6/joseph-nicephore-niepce-heliograph.jpg)The earliest known surviving photograph, called the *View from the Window at Le Gras*, was made on a polished pewter plate by Nicéphore Niépce, 1826 or 1827; in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin.
(more)
In 1826/27, using a camera obscura fitted with a pewter plate, Niépce produced the first successful photograph from nature, a view of the courtyard of his country estate, Le Gras, from an upper [window](https://www.britannica.com/technology/window) of the house. The exposure time was about eight hours, during which the [sun](https://www.britannica.com/place/Sun) moved from east to west so that it appears to shine on both sides of the building.
Key People:
[Josiah Johnson Hawes](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Josiah-Johnson-Hawes)
[David Octavius Hill](https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Octavius-Hill)
[Helmut Newton](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Helmut-Newton)
[Albert Sands Southworth](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albert-Sands-Southworth)
[Hilla Becher](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hilla-Becher)
*(Show more)*
Related Topics:
[technology of photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology-of-photography)
[colour photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/color-photography)
[film](https://www.britannica.com/technology/film-photography)
[plate](https://www.britannica.com/technology/plate-photography)
[exposure](https://www.britannica.com/technology/exposure-photography)
*(Show more)*
On the Web:
[Pressbooks - Art History II - Photography in the 20th Century](https://stevala.pressbooks.sunycreate.cloud/chapter/introduction-to-photography/) (Mar. 25, 2026)
*(Show more)*
[See all related content](https://www.britannica.com/facts/photography)
NiĂ©pce produced his most successful copy of an engraving, a portrait of Cardinal dâAmboise, in 1826. It was exposed in about three hours, and in February 1827 he had the pewter plate etched to form a [printing](https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-photography) plate and had two prints pulled. Paper prints were the final aim of NiĂ©pceâs [heliographic](https://www.britannica.com/technology/heliography) process, [yet](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/yet) all his other attempts, whether made by using a [camera](https://www.britannica.com/technology/camera) or by means of engravings, were underexposed and too weak to be etched. Nevertheless, NiĂ©pceâs discoveries showed the path that others were to follow with more success.
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- [Frontiers - Frontiers in Psychology - Hunters and Gatherers of Pictures: Why Photography Has Become a Human Universal](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654474/full)
- [Humanities LibreTexts - A Brief History of Early Photography](https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/Northern_Illinois_University/Fundamentals_of_Photography_and_Creative_Practice/01%3A_Creative_Camera_Functions/1.01%3A_A_Brief_History_of_Early_Photography)
- [The Spruce Crafts - A brief history of Photography and the Camera](https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/brief-history-of-photography-2688527)
- [Photography History Facts](https://www.photographyhistoryfacts.com/)
- [Pressbooks - Art History II - Photography in the 20th Century](https://stevala.pressbooks.sunycreate.cloud/chapter/introduction-to-photography/)
- [Napoleon.org - The birth of photography](https://www.napoleon.org/en/young-historians/napodoc/the-birth-of-photography/)
- [Nashville Film Institute - When was Photography Invented? Ăâ Everything you need to know](https://www.nfi.edu/when-was-photography-invented/)
- [UEN Digital Press with Pressbooks - Renaissance Through Contemporary Art History - Early Photography](https://uen.pressbooks.pub/arth2720/chapter/early-photography-niepce-talbot-and-muybridge/)
- [Art in Context - History of Photography ĂŻÂżÂœ Explore the Origin of Photography](https://artincontext.org/history-of-photography/)
- [ABC listen - Nightlife - This Week in History: Early Photography](https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/this-week-in-history-photography/101836108)
- [Harvard University - Harvard's History of Photography Timeline](https://photographpreservationprogram.hsites.harvard.edu/harvards-history-photography-timeline-text-only)
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- [photography - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)](https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/photography/353623)
- [photography - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)](https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/photography/276410) |
| Readable Markdown | Top Questions
### Who invented the photograph and why?
### What was the first picture ever taken?
### What was the first color photograph?
**history of photography**, a survey of the historical and [aesthetic](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aesthetic) aspects of still photography, the method of [recording](https://www.britannica.com/technology/sound-recording) the image of an object through the action of [light](https://www.britannica.com/science/light), or related [radiation](https://www.britannica.com/science/radiation), on a light-sensitive material. The word *photography*, derived from the Greek *photos* (âlightâ) and *graphein* (âto drawâ), was first used in the 1830s.
For a discussion of the technical aspects of the medium, *see* [technology of photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology-of-photography). For a treatment of [motion-picture photography](https://www.britannica.com/topic/cinematography), or cinematography, *see* [history of motion picture](https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-film), and [motion-picture technology](https://www.britannica.com/technology/motion-picture-technology).
*[(Read Ansel Adamsâs 1947 Britannica essay on photographic art.)](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ansel-Adams-on-photographic-art-2215530)*
## General considerations
Frank Sadorus: Photographing Life on the Illinois PlainsLearn more about life on the plains with the photography of Frank Sadorus.
[See all videos for this article](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photography/images-videos)
As a means of visual [communication](https://www.britannica.com/topic/communication) and expression, [photography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/photograph) has distinct [aesthetic](https://www.britannica.com/art/style-art) capabilities. In order to understand them, one must first understand the characteristics of the process itself. One of the most important characteristics is immediacy. Usually, but not necessarily, the [image](https://www.britannica.com/technology/optical-image) that is recorded is formed by a [lens](https://www.britannica.com/technology/lens-optics) in a camera. Upon exposure to the light forming the image, the sensitive material undergoes changes in its structure, a [latent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/latent) (but reversed) image usually called a [negative](https://www.britannica.com/technology/negative) is formed, and the image becomes visible by development and permanent by fixing with sodium thiosulfate, called âhypo.â With modern materials, the processing may take place immediately or may be delayed for weeks or months.
The essential elements of the image are usually established immediately at the time of exposure. This characteristic is unique to photography and sets it apart from other ways of picture making. The seemingly automatic recording of an image by photography has given the process a sense of authenticity shared by no other picture-making technique. The photograph possesses, in the popular mind, such apparent accuracy that the [adage](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adage) âthe camera does not lieâ has become an accepted, if [erroneous](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erroneous), clichĂ©.
This understanding of photographyâs supposed objectivity has dominated evaluations of its role in the arts. In the early part of its history, photography was sometimes belittled as a mechanical art because of its dependence on [technology](https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology). In truth, however, photography is not the automatic process that is implied by the use of a camera. Although the camera usually limits the photographer to depicting existing objects rather than imaginary or interpretive views, the skilled photographer can introduce creativity into the mechanical reproduction process. The image can be modified by different lenses and filters. The type of sensitive material used to record the image is a further control, and the contrast between highlight and shadow can be changed by variations in development. In [printing](https://www.britannica.com/topic/printing-publishing) the negative, the photographer has a wide choice in the physical surface of the paper, the tonal contrast, and the image [color](https://www.britannica.com/science/color). The photographer also may set up a completely artificial scene to photograph.
The most important control is, of course, the creative photographerâs vision. He or she chooses the vantage point and the exact moment of exposure. The photographer perceives the essential qualities of the subject and interprets it according to his or her judgment, taste, and involvement. An effective photograph can [disseminate](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disseminate) information about humanity and nature, record the visible world, and extend human knowledge and understanding. For all these reasons, photography has aptly been called the most important invention since the [printing press](https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press).
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## Inventing the medium
## Antecedents
[Principle of the camera obscura](https://cdn.britannica.com/87/225887-050-91DB5805/Camera-obscura-in-a-realistic-style.jpg)The forerunner of the camera was the camera obscura, a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall.
The forerunner of the camera was the [camera obscura](https://www.britannica.com/technology/camera-obscura-photography), a dark chamber or room with a hole (later a lens) in one wall, through which images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall. The principle was probably known to the Chinese and to ancient Greeks such as [Aristotle](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle) more than 2,000 years ago. Late in the 16th century, the Italian scientist and writer [Giambattista della Porta](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Giambattista-della-Porta) demonstrated and described in detail the use of a camera obscura with a lens. While artists in [subsequent](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/subsequent) centuries commonly used variations on the camera obscura to create images they could trace, the results from these devices depended on the artistâs [drawing](https://www.britannica.com/art/drawing-art) skills, and so scientists continued to search for a method to reproduce images completely mechanically.
In 1727 the German professor of anatomy Johann Heinrich Schulze proved that the darkening of [silver](https://www.britannica.com/science/silver) salts, a phenomenon known since the 16th century and possibly earlier, was caused by light and not heat. He demonstrated the fact by using sunlight to record words on the salts, but he made no attempt to preserve the images permanently. His discovery, in combination with the camera obscura, provided the basic technology necessary for photography. It was not until the early 19th century, however, that photography actually came into being.
## Early experiments
## [Heliography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/heliography)
[NicĂ©phore NiĂ©pce](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicephore-Niepce), an [amateur](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/amateur) inventor living near [Chalon-sur-SaĂŽne](https://www.britannica.com/place/Chalon-sur-Saone), a city 189 miles (304 km) southeast of [Paris](https://www.britannica.com/place/Paris), was interested in [lithography](https://www.britannica.com/technology/lithography), a process in which drawings are copied or drawn by hand onto lithographic stone and then printed in ink. Not artistically trained, NiĂ©pce devised a method by which light could draw the pictures he needed. He oiled an engraving to make it transparent and then placed it on a [plate](https://www.britannica.com/technology/plate-photography) coated with a light-sensitive solution of [bitumen](https://www.britannica.com/science/bitumen) of Judea (a type of asphalt) and lavender oil and exposed the setup to sunlight. After a few hours, the solution under the light areas of the engraving hardened, while that under the dark areas remained soft and could be washed away, leaving a permanent, accurate copy of the engraving. Calling the process heliography (âsun drawingâ), NiĂ©pce succeeded from 1822 onward in copying oiled engravings onto lithographic stone, [glass](https://www.britannica.com/technology/glass), and [zinc](https://www.britannica.com/science/zinc-group-element) and from 1826 onto [pewter](https://www.britannica.com/technology/pewter) plates.
[Nicéphore Niépce: *View from the Window at Le Gras*](https://cdn.britannica.com/34/198534-050-1C50DFF6/joseph-nicephore-niepce-heliograph.jpg)The earliest known surviving photograph, called the *View from the Window at Le Gras*, was made on a polished pewter plate by Nicéphore Niépce, 1826 or 1827; in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin.
In 1826/27, using a camera obscura fitted with a pewter plate, Niépce produced the first successful photograph from nature, a view of the courtyard of his country estate, Le Gras, from an upper [window](https://www.britannica.com/technology/window) of the house. The exposure time was about eight hours, during which the [sun](https://www.britannica.com/place/Sun) moved from east to west so that it appears to shine on both sides of the building.
NiĂ©pce produced his most successful copy of an engraving, a portrait of Cardinal dâAmboise, in 1826. It was exposed in about three hours, and in February 1827 he had the pewter plate etched to form a [printing](https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-photography) plate and had two prints pulled. Paper prints were the final aim of NiĂ©pceâs [heliographic](https://www.britannica.com/technology/heliography) process, [yet](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/yet) all his other attempts, whether made by using a [camera](https://www.britannica.com/technology/camera) or by means of engravings, were underexposed and too weak to be etched. Nevertheless, NiĂ©pceâs discoveries showed the path that others were to follow with more success. |
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