La Haine
Clarence B. Moore
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Digitized from a modern silver gelatin print from original platinum print
(prior to conservation)

Conserving the Salon's Gold Cross Winner
The Gold Cross winner at the 1896 Washington Salon, Clarence Moore's La Haine, is a portrait study of a young woman. Originally a rich black platinum print, it is now brown, although when the photograph's mat was removed, the conservator discovered a small portion of image colored in the original tone. The original color cannot be restored, but the image was recently treated and cleaned--monitored washing removed some stains and added to its present quality and its long-term preservation.
Exposure to light, fluctuating temperature and humidity over time, or sometimes just poor original developing can cause photographs to deteriorate. One aspect of the Section of Photography's original mission was to study the effects of light and time on photographs in the collection's images.
Most of the photographs in this exhibit are modern reproductions, made in order to display them at light levels closer to those of the 1896 salon and to avoid exposure damage to fragile originals. The majority are original size; a few are reduced, and several are enlarged to show detail.

Step Left to see the previous photograph in detail. Step Back to see the whole wall again. Step Right to see the next photograph in detail.