c. 1890
Photochroms of Ireland
The Emerald Isle, from one end of the rainbow to the other
Image: Library of Congress
These postcards of the sweeping hills, cliffs, and towns of Ireland were created using the Photochrom process, a complex method of imbuing black-and-white photographs with relatively realistic color.
The closely-guarded process was invented in the 1880s by an employee of a Swiss printing company. It entailed coating a tablet of lithographic limestone with a light-sensitive emulsion, then exposing it to sunlight under a photo negative.
After several hours, the emulsion would harden in proportion to the tones of the negative, leaving a fixed lithographic image on the stone.
Additional litho stones would then be produced for each tint to be used in the final color composite — a single image could require well over a dozen different tint stones.
Though delicate and time-consuming, the Photochrom process resulted in color images of striking verisimilitude for a time when true color photography was in the earliest stages of development.
Glenariff, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Dungarvan Bridge and Harbor, County Waterford.
Image: Library of Congress
Glenoe Village, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Dargle Bridge, County Wicklow.
Image: Library of Congress
Bray, County Wicklow.
Image: Library of Congress
Vale of Avoca, County Wicklow.
Image: Library of Congress
Rope bridge, Carrick-a-Rede, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
The Honeycombs, Giant's Causeway, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Giant's Causeway, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Portrush, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Royal Avenue, Belfast, County Antrim.
Image: Library of Congress
Lisdoonvarna, County Clare.
Image: Library of Congress
Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Tunnel near Glengarriff, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Patrick Street, Cork, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Blackrock Castle, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Glengarriff Harbor, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Powerscourt Waterfall, County Wicklow.
Image: Library of Congress
Queenstown, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Queenstown Harbor, County Cork.
Image: Library of Congress
Newcastle, County Down.
Image: Library of Congress
Bank of Ireland, Dublin, County Dublin.
Image: Library of Congress
Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh.
Image: Library of Congress
Ruins, Devenish Island, Lough Erne, County Fermanagh.
Image: Library of Congress
Killary Bay, Connemara, County Galway.
Image: Library of Congress
Valentia, County Kerry.
Image: Library of Congress
Ross Castle, Killarney, County Kerry.
Image: Library of Congress
The quays, Waterford, County Waterford.
Image: Library of Congress
Muckross Abbey, Killarney, County Kerry.
Image: Library of Congress
Menawn Cliffs, Achill, County Mayo.
Image: Library of Congress
Spinner and spinning wheel, County Galway.
Image: Library of Congress
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