Lace
William Henry Fox Talbot
British, 1800–1877
1840s
A salted paper print made by William Henry Fox Talbot reproducing a swatch of lace to demonstrate how early photography could capture intricate textile patterns and textures.
The image presents dark, scrolled floral motifs floating over a fine hexagonal net—bold silhouettes and crosshatched fills that make the lace’s weave and openwork read with surprising clarity and tactile immediacy.
Made in the 1840s from a paper negative, this work shows Talbot’s experiments proving that photography could faithfully reproduce delicate surfaces and therefore serve as a new tool for documentation, design, and artistic expression.
Medium
Salted paper print from a paper negative
Dimensions
9 1/16 × 7 3/8" (23 × 18.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Lois and Bruce Zenkel Fund
Accession
232.1989
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
