John Cimon Warburg's Autochromes
Dreamlike visions from the start of the 20th century
Alex Q. Arbuckle
1907-1925
"The Japanese parasol."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
Born into a wealthy family, John Cimon Warburg’s chronic asthma made it difficult for him to work a full-time job. Instead, he chose to devote his time and money entirely to the study and practice of photography.He was particularly interested in working with Autochrome, one of the earliest color photography processes. Patented by the Lumière brothers in 1903, Autochrome produced a color transparency using a layer of potato starch grains dyed red, green and blue, along with a complex development process.Autochromes required longer exposure times than traditional black-and-white photos, resulting in images with a hazy, blurred atmosphere filled with pointillist dots of color.
"Margate beach, blue girl."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Joan in Red Riding Hood cape with basket."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Saltburn Sands."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Cow on Saltburn sands."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"The orange stall."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Children by the breakwater."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Peggy reading."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Daydreams."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"The green mat."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"On the sands."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Birch trees on a river bank."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"The Neptune Fountain, Cheltenham."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"The last digger."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Children drawing."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Girl with a bucket."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Girl in a white dress."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"A small customer."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Peggy in the garden."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"The butcher's shop."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"A rusty buoy."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Two girls at the gate."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Mrs. Warburg."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Whitby, the dredger."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
"Staithes Harbor."
Credit: John Cimon Warburg/SSPL/Getty Images
A portrait of John Cimon Warburg by Helen Missinger Murdoch.
Credit: SSPL/Getty Images
