Vispach Bridge and the Matterhorn, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
These pictures of the sublime landscapes and stately towns of Switzerland were created using the Photochrom process, a technique for applying color to monochrome images with nuance and precision.
Invented in Switzerland by an employee of a printing company, Photochrom was a time-consuming and delicate process.
First, a tablet of lithographic limestone would be coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, placed under a photo negative and exposed to sunlight for several hours.
The emulsion would then harden in proportion to the tones of the negative. The softer portions would be removed with a solvent, leaving a fixed lithographic image on the stone.
Following a photographer’s detailed notes on the colors of the original scene, a printer would prepare additional litho stones for each tone to be used in the final color image — often more than a dozen.
When the lengthy process was complete, the result was a vibrant color postcard that far outshone traditional hand-colored images.
These postcards from the Detroit Publishing Company capture the natural grandeur of Switzerland at a time when true color photography was still in its infancy.
The Titlis Spitze, Unterwald.
Image: Library of Congress
Sunset on Lake Lucerne.
Image: Library of Congress
The Rhone Glacier and Glacier Hotel, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
The village of Saas Fee and The Rimpfischhorn.
Image: Library of Congress
The Winter Gallery of the Simplon Pass, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
St. Bernard dogs, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
A Club Cottage at Theodulpass, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
Zermatt, Upper Staffelalp, with the Matterhorn, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
Leysin, Vaud.
Image: Library of Congress
The Tonhalle, Zurich.
Image: Library of Congress
Grand Concert Hall, Tonhalle, Zurich.
Image: Library of Congress
Armor on display in Zurich museum.
Image: Library of Congress
The bear pit at a zoo in Bern.
Image: Library of Congress
The Spalenthor, Basel.
Image: Library of Congress
A view from Beatenberg of the mountains Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger in the Bernese Alps.
Image: Library of Congress
The Grindelwald Grotto in the Bernese Alps.
Image: Library of Congress
Interlaken and Unterseen, Bernese Oberland.
Image: Library of Congress
Chillon Castle and Dent du Midi, Lake Geneva.
Image: Library of Congress
Rochers de Naye and Hotel de Caux.
Image: Library of Congress
Klöntalersee, Glarus.
Image: Library of Congress
Farmers harvest hay in the Engadine, Grisons.
Image: Library of Congress
The falls of the Rhine by moonlight, Schaffhausen.
Image: Library of Congress
A view of Locarno from the Madonna del Sasso church.
Image: Library of Congress
Women of Champéry, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
The Lion Monument in Lucerne, carved in 1820-21 to commemorate Swiss Guards killed in 1792 during the French Revolution.
Image: Library of Congress
A view of the Grand Aletsch Glacier, with the mountains Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
The village of Leukerbad and the Torrenthorn, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
The music pavilion of the town of Interlaken, Bernese Oberland.
Image: Library of Congress
Staubbach Falls and the mountain Jungfrau.
Image: Library of Congress
Upper Engadine, Mont Pers Glacier, Grisons.
Image: Library of Congress
The Lucerne railway station and Pilatus by moonlight.
Image: Library of Congress
Lucerne.
Image: Library of Congress
Lake Lucerne.
Image: Library of Congress
The Matterhorn and the Findelenbach Bridge, Valais.
Image: Library of Congress
A view from an ice cave on Jungfrau.
Image: Library of Congress
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