Did you know that photographs of the Philippines dating back to 1840-1850 still exist? These historic images were captured using the Daguerreotype process, the world’s first photographic technique, introduced in 1839 by French artist Louis Daguerre.
Aside from India, the Philippines holds the distinction of being the first Asian country to have such images preserved for over 180 years.
These photos were discovered in the collection of Rosina Herrera and George Eastman in the United States, detailed in the book Informe sobre el estado de las islas Filipinas.
It is believed that these images may have been sent to the Philippines as early as 1840, but their authenticity was only confirmed recently.
Known as the “Oldest Known Photos of the Philippines,” the collection consists of 13 full plates and 5 half-plates featuring scenes from Manila, Marikina, and Laguna.
The Daguerreotype process was revolutionary for its time. It involved exposing a silver-plated copper sheet to iodine vapors, making the surface light-sensitive. Afterward, the plate was placed inside a camera and exposed to light for several minutes.
The image would then be developed by exposing the plate to mercury vapor, making the image visible. Once the image appeared, it was fixed using a saltwater bath to make it permanent.
Each Daguerreotype is a unique image, unable to be replicated, as the process created only a single photograph per plate.
The Daguerreotype process, while intricate and time-consuming, produced highly detailed and sharp images, capturing the scenes of 19th-century Philippines in remarkable clarity.