Josef Maria Eder (16 March 1855 – 18 October 1944) was an Austrian chemist who specialized in the chemistry of photography, and who wrote a comprehensive early history of the technical development of chemical photography.[1]
Josef Maria Eder | |
|---|---|
 Josef Maria Eder in 1887, aged 32, photographed by Nadar | |
| Born | 16 March 1855 |
| Died | 18 October 1944 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Alma mater | Vienna University of Technology |
| Awards | Lieben Prize 1895 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry of photography |
| Institutions | Vienna University of Technology |
Life and work
editEder was born in Krems an der Donau in 1855. He studied chemistry, physics and mathematics at the Vienna University of Technology and at the University of Vienna. In 1876, he received his PhD and in 1879, after his habilitation, became lecturer at the Vienna University of Technology.
Eder's research then focused on the chemistry of photography. After spending some time at the Staatliche Gewerbeschule Vienna, he became lecturer at the Höhere Gewerbeschule Vienna. This change improved his capacity to undertake research. In the following years, Eder developed a sensitized gelatin silver process. Orthochromatic photographic plates, in combination with a color filter counter-acting the plates' inhomogeneous sensitivity to light of different wavelengths, yielded black and white images showing all colors of the light in their true brightness.
Eder was a professor at the Vienna University of Technology from 1892 to 1925[2][3][4] where one of the engineering students was the Hungarian André Steiner whom Eder encouraged to take up photography.[5] Eder introduced scientific method into the development of photographic processes. In particular, he used spectroscopy and invented several new instruments including the "Eder-Hecht neutral wedge photometer" (with Walter Hecht (1896–1960)), also the "mercury oxalate photometer" which was a chemical photometer to measure the intensity of UV radiation. After the effect of X-rays on photographic material was published, Eder did research to improve the sensitivity of photographic material to X-rays.
By 1884, Eder started writing his Geschichte der Photographie ('History of Photography') and Ausführliches Handbuch Der Photographie ('Extensive Handbook of Photography'), both still available in reprint.[6] He was awarded the Lieben Prize in 1895[7] and became a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 1930. On March 1, 1888 Eder founded the Institute for Photography and Reproduction Techniques (today the Höhere Graphische Bundes- Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt).[3][4][8]
Publications
editEder published over 650 publications. The History of Photography was published in four editions from 1881 to 1932, each of which was expanded.
- Eder, J. M. (1893). Das Atelier und Laboratorium des Photographen. (Ausführliches Handbuch der Photographie.) Halle a.S: Verlag von Wilhelm Knapp.
- Eder, J. M., & Valenta, E. (1896). Spectralanalytische Untersuchung des Argons (Spectral Analysis of Argon'). Wien: Kaiserlich-Königlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei.
- Eder, J. M., & Valenta, E. (1924). Atlas typischer Spektren.
- Eder, J. M. (1930). Ausführliches Handbuch der Photographie. Halle: Wilheim Knapp.
- ----. (1932). Geschichte der Photographie ('History of Photography'). Halle a. S: Knapp.
- ---- (1971). Quellenschriften zu den frühesten Anfängen der Photographie bis zum XVIII Jahrhundert. ('Sources for the earliest beginnings of photography up to the 18th century') Niederwalluf bei Wiesbaden: Dr. Martin Sändig.
Distinctions
editIn 1884 he was awarded the Progress Medal of the Photographic Society of Great Britain (known as the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) today).[9]
- Lieben Prize, 1895
- Wilhelm Exner Medal, 1923
References
edit- ^ Eder, Josef Maria (1891). Geschichte der Photochemie und Photographie bis in die Gegenwart (in German). Halle a.S.: W. Knapp. OCLC 8873883.
- ^ Beiträge zur Photochemie und Spectralanalyse. Wien, k.k. graphische Lehr- u. Versuchsanstalt 1904. 4°. Mit 60 tls. gefalt. (einige farb.) Taf. u. 93 Textabb. XII S., 2 Bl., 425 S., 1 Bl., 174 S., 1 Bl., 167 S., 1 Bl., 30 S., 1 Bl., 51 S. Mod. Lwd. using Olwd.
- ^ a b "Eder, Josef Maria". Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950. Vol. 1. Vienna: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. 1957. ISBN 3-7001-1327-7.
- ^ a b Walter Schürmeyer (1959), "Eder, Joseph Maria", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 4, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 312–313
- ^ Warren, Lynne (2006). Encyclopedia of twentieth-century photography. Routledge. p. 1489. ISBN 9781579583934. OCLC 60402034.
- ^ Eder, Josef Maria (2009). Ausführliches Handbuch Der Photographie. BiblioBazaar. ISBN 978-1-110-25161-2.
- ^ "Ignaz Lieben-Preisträger 1895: Josef Maria Eder".[permanent dead link]
- ^ Faber, Monika. "J. M. Eder und die wissenschaftliche Fotografie". Albertina. Retrieved 2010-03-01. [dead link]
- ^ Royal Photographic Society. Progress medal. Web-page listing people, who have received this award since 1878 ("Progress Medal - the Royal Photographic Society". Archived from the original on 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2013-04-19.): “Instituted in 1878, this medal is awarded in recognition of any invention, research, publication or other contribution which has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or imaging in the widest sense. This award also carries with it an Honorary Fellowship of The Society. […] 1884 J M Eder […]”
- The History of European Photography 1900-1938, FOTOFO., 2011. ISBN 978-80-85739-55-8
See also
edit
- Improvements to Julius Scheiner's system of measuring film speeds in Scheinergrade.