François Fauvel Gouraud
1840, 6 January
From the Pennsylvania, December 4, The Daguerreotype
Newspaper article
Det Kongelige Bibliotek (The Royal Library)Dansk Vestindisk Regerings Avis. 6. januar 1840 (Danish West Indies Government Newspaper - Christianssted (01-04-1815 - 28-12-1843))
The New York Observer has been favored with the sight of a large number of pictures from a collection of the exquisitely beautiful results of this wonderful discovery, just arrived from Paris, several of them by Daguerre himself. The collection is in the hands of M. Gourraud, a gentleman of taste, who arrived in the steam packet British Queen, and who made himself acquainted with the mode of obtaining these results under the immediate instruction of M. Daguerre. M Gourraud is on his way to the Havana for the purpose of transmitting to Paris photographic views of the scenery of that part of the world.
Of the excellence and beauty of these pictures, the Observer says:—
Our readers may suppose that, after reading the highly wrought descriptions of the new art, which we have transferred to our paper from European prints, we were prepared to form something like an adequate conception of its powers; but we can only say as the Queen of Sheba said after examining the exhibition of the glory of Solomon, “The half was not told us.” We can find no language to express the charm of these pictures painted by no mortal hand. We are not surprised to learn that France and all Europe are so enthusiastically interested in the wonderful discovery.
We are told that the shop-windows in Paris, in which the photographic pictures are exhibited, are so beset by the crowd that the streets are impassable in their vicinity. M. Daguerre, we are also informed, is wholly occupied in answering the letters simply of the various sovereigns of Europe, who all seem anxious to understand the new art.
We hope M. Gourraud will stay so long among us as to give us a few practical lectures; and also to furnish an opportunity to our citizens of taste to see this collection of Nature's own paintings.
LL/132028
