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Stereoscopic albumen print (detail from left frame), possibly published by J Elliott |
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2.5 The French Tissue
The ‘French Tissue’ was a stereo photograph whose card mount was cut away to allow light to pass through the thin albumen print. This enabled the photographer to create a number of special effects. The albumen paper could be hand tinted or backed with a translucent sheet of coloured material and when held up to the light the print appeared to be coloured. This effect could be further enhanced by piercing both pieces of paper with a needle to heighten features such as candles on chandeliers, cutting out the backing paper behind a window, or waxing the image paper to increase its translucency. French Tissues were most popular between 1858 and 1875, and as the name suggests were most commonly produced in France although they were also made in Britain and other countries.
Ref: Darrah: (1997: 11)
