by David Iglésias Franch. Image courtesy CRDI.

The Centre for Image Research and Diffusion (CRDI) presents a new audiovisual product for a better understanding of the technical procedure of formation of the gravure on copper plate from the original technique of Talbot-Klic (1879). This audiovisual, created using 3D animation techniques, is the fifth proposal of a series dedicated to the evolution of the photographic technique and photomechanical procedures that started in 2007. The script is done by the professor Carles Mitjà and the project execution is assumed by the CIFOG (Escola de Cicles Formatius de Girona). This audiovisual, unique in its presentation, has a clear dissemination function and, unlike the theoretical texts, allows the viewer to get a clear idea of this photomechanical procedure.

Carles Mitjà is an expert in this technique. In his blog https://carlesmitja.net/category/photogravure/ he explains the origin of the photogravure: “Photogravure was part of the early attempts made in the discovery of photography. Several previous experiments had been performed by Nicéphore Niépce and Henry Fox Talbot derived from the pre-existing gravure and etching techniques. Finally, after the first negative-positive systems appeared and responding to a problem with the permanence of his paper positives (Schaaf, 2003), Henry Fox Talbot patented the first photogravure method in 1852. Many years later, in 1879, the photographer and engraver Karel Klic modified the early Talbot method taking advantage of Joseph Swan’s and Louis de Poitevoin’s technique for the so-called carbon printing method. Klic’s decisive contributions were the aquatint grain on the copper plate and the use of gelatinised paper sensitised with potassium or ammonium bichromate, known as the carbon tissue. The result was called the Talbot-Klic method.”