Sella Joch and Langkofl.
Image: Library of Congress
These postcards of the Princely County of Tyrol, an Alpine region of the Austro-Hungarian empire, were created using the Photochrom process, an early procedure for imbuing monochrome images with surprisingly lifelike color.
Developed in the 1880s by an employee of a Swiss printing company, the process involves coating a lithographic limestone tablet with a photosensitive emulsion and exposing it to light under a photo negative.
The light causes the emulsion to harden in proportion to the tones of the negative, forming a fixed lithographic image on the stone.
Additional stones are prepared for each tint to be used in the ultimate color image — a single postcard might require over a dozen.
The end product of this painstaking process is color images with a unique degree of verisimilitude for a time when true color photography was just being developed.
These images capture the staggering peaks and valleys of Tyrol in the decades before it was partitioned between Italy and Austria with the end of World War I.
Toblach and Val Ampezzo.
Image: Library of Congress
The Three Spires.
Image: Library of Congress
The Three Spires.
Image: Library of Congress
Lower Inn, Hall and Bettelwurfspitze.
Image: Library of Congress
Karersee, Hotel and Lattemar.
Image:Library of Congress
The Lower Karersee.
Image: Library of Congress
Klausen.
Image: Library of Congress
Landeck.
Image: Library of Congress
Lermoos and the Zugspitze.
Image: Library of Congress
Marmolada from the Sellajoch.
Image: Library of Congress
Peasants' house, Meran.
Image: Library of Congress
Monte Cristallo and Piz Popena Group.
Image: Library of Congress
Misurinasee, Sorapiss and Monte Antelao.
Image: Library of Congress
Sella Group, Bergerturm.
Image: Library of Congress
Ortler Territory, Stilfserjoch, Ferdinandshohe.
Image: Library of Congress
Pragse, Wildsee, toward Sulden.
Image: Library of Congress
Primiero.
Image: Library of Congress
Rosengarten Group from Winklerturm.
Image: Library of Congress
Rosengarten and St. Cyprian
Image: Library of Congress
St. Valentine on the Danube.
Image: Library of Congress
Schlernhaus and Rosengarten Group.
Image: Library of Congress
Sterzing.
Image: Library of Congress
A village with crucifix.
Image: Library of Congress
Trafoi Hotel.
Image: Library of Congress
Mt. Surlon and Sorapiss.
Image: Library of Congress
Stubaital, Dresdenerhut and Schaufelspitze.
Image: Library of Congress
Toblino.
Image: Library of Congress
Vorarlberg Rankweil and Hohenkasten.
Image: Library of Congress
Bambergerhütte, Mount Boè.
Image: Library of Congress
Rosengarten Group from Pelagoturm.
Image: Library of Congress
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