View from the Window at Le Gras

On January 8, 1826, French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce succeeded in capturing the world's first permanent photograph. Using a camera obscura and a pewter plate coated with bitumen of Judea, Niépce took the famous image known as "View from the Window at Le Gras." This milestone in the history of photography marked the beginning of a new era in visual documentation and art.

Artwork: SK

Niépce's technique, called heliography, involved a long exposure to sunlight, which took about eight hours to produce a visible image. Although rudimentary compared to modern photographic technologies, this first photo paved the way for the development of more sophisticated methods, such as the daguerreotype created by Louis Daguerre and paper photography, which evolved into the digital cameras we use today.

Reflecting on this innovation, we can appreciate how photography has changed the way we see and document the world around us. How about taking a look at your favorite photos and seeing how they capture special moments in your life? 📸

References:

• National Geographic - First Photograph

• Encyclopedia Britannica - Joseph Nicéphore Niépce

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art - The First Photograph