Defining Cave Paintings & Daguerreotype

 Cave Paintings

Cave paintings are found on the walls and ceilings of several caves dating back to prehistoric times. Although there are no proven reasons behind the cave paintings theories state that cave paintings were used as a form of communication to others and at times were created for religious or ceremonial purposes. The themes most common in cave paintings are images of animals, outlined human hands, or abstract patterns. The animals painted on the walls of a cave were usually depicted as Gods by the prehistoric group present there in their time. The paint used was usually made with a mixture of liquid and a pigment and when the liquid dries up the colour is left behind leaving a thick paint like texture. Early cave paintings were created by mixing water and animal fat with different colours of dirt. Cave paintings now are seen as visual communication such as Egyptian hieroglyphics are and were painted by elders or shaman to send a message to another.

 

Daguerreotype

Daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process. The physical daguerreotype itself is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate. The surface of a daguerreotype is like a mirror, with the image made directly on the silvered surface, and the finish plate has to be angled so as to reflect some dark surface in order to view the image properly. Daguerreotype was the main process used up until the 1850's. In order to create the image wanted a long period of light exposure was in order. The first photograph ever created was used with a daguerreotype and eight hours of exposure time was needed.