Photographing The Light: Belgian Accountant Charles Corbet’s Sublime Autochromes – c. 1910

Taken mostly in or round 1910, these images are as fresh today as they must have looked back then

These dreamy scenes were made by Belgian autochromist Charles Corbet (1868 – 1936). Taken mostly in or round 1910, the subtle colours, warm lighting and shadows make the images as fresh today as they must have looked back then.

 

Charles Corbet, Mrs. Corbet and Mr. Sano having afternoon tea c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet and Mrs. Corbet having afternoon tea c. 1910, autochrome by Paul Sano (1874-1960)

Charles Corbet (1868-1936), an accountant by trade, was married to Elisabeth De Bruyn. mother of the couple’s two children.
All of his more than 500 autochromes were taken between 1909 and 1914. He shared this interest with Paul Sano and Alphonse Van Besten. Member of the “Cercle d’études photographiques et scientifiques d’Anvers”.

 

Charles Corbet, Filtered light through trees c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Filtered light through trees c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Mrs. Corbet on a gardenbench with a flowerbouquet c. 1910, autochrome

Mrs. Corbet on a garden bench with a flower bouquet c. 1910, autochrome

Young lady with fan on a couch c. 1910, autochrome

The Autochrome Lumière is an early colour photography process. Patented in 1903 by the Lumière brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière, in France and first marketed in 1907, it was the principal colour photography process in use before the advent of subtractive colour film in the mid-1930s.

The process for making autochrome involved covering plates in microscopic, transparent potato starch grains that had been coloured red, green or blue and mixed together. The plate was coated with a panchromatic photographic emulsion. When the photograph is taken, light passes through these colour filters to the photographic emulsion. “The plate is processed to produce a positive transparency. Light, passing through the coloured starch grains, combines to recreate a full colour image of the original subject.”

 

Charles Corbet, Gladioli on flowershow c. 1910

Gladioli on flowershow c. 1910

Charles Corbet, Mrs. Corbet and daughter on the heath c. 1910, autochrome

Mrs. Corbet and daughter on the heath c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Festive illumination for King Albert I & Queen Elisabeth c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Girl embracing woman – c. 1910

Charles Corbet, Still life with vase and flowers - c. 1910

Charles Corbet, Still life with vase and flowers – c. 1910

Afternoon walk – c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Mrs. Corbet and Mr. Sano having afternoon tea c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet and Mrs. Corbet by Sano having afternoon tea c. 1910, autochrome

Reclining woman by river – c. 1910

Girl in dunes – c. 1910, autochrome

Lady in park avenue – c. 1910, autochrome

Young lady with a fan – c. 1910, autochrome

Woman and girl by a brook – c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Flowering orchard ,c. 1910, autochrome

Flowering orchard ,c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, Still life with vase and roses - c. 1910, autochrome

Still life with vase and roses – c. 1910, autochrome

View of pond trees – c. 1910, autochrome

Charles Corbet, View of Monschau - c. 1910, autochrome

View of Monschau – c. 1910, autochrome

Paul Sano: Mrs. & Mr. Corbet having afternoon tea, c. 1910

“Woman and girl by a brook”, autochrome by Charles Corbet, c.1910.

“Woman and girl by a brook”, autochrome, c.1910.

Charles Corbet, - c. 1910, autochrome

Lead Image: Charles Corbet, Melancholia – c. 1910, autochrome

You can buy Charles Corbet cards and more in the Shop.

Via: Belgian Autochromes 

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