Autochrome: Fascination of Early Color Photography

The Fascination of Early Color Photography

Autochromes were the first commercial color photographs. Invented in 1904 by the Lumière brothers Auguste and Louis in Paris, color photographs caused a great sensation at the time. They were an innovation and the first way to depict the world in true-to-life color and thus capture it for eternity.

This impressive book was compiled by the two authors Dr. Maria Reitter-Kollmann and Dr. Alfred Weidinger. The scholars are leading experts on the history of color photography at the Oberösterreichische Landes-Kultur GmbH in Linz. The museum holds one of the most important European collections of historical autochromes.

The exciting collection consists of more than 1.000 photographs by photographic pioneers such as the Archduchess, Margarethe of Austria-Tuscany or from the collection of Hans Frank, the founder of the first Austrian photo museum in Bad Ischl. Photographs by important photographers such as Auguste Lumière are also part of this unique collection.

In the coffee table book Autochrome, the authors present the most beautiful and important pieces from this collection in their full glory. In addition to the wonderful pictures, the book also provides a lot of background knowledge about the technique of this first commercially usable color photography. Text in English and German.

Maria Reitter-Kollmann *1974, studied art history and philosophy at the Catholic Private University and business administration at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. She has been working as a freelance research assistant at OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH in Linz/Austria since 2021. She has been working as a curator since 2005. Her research focuses on the history of colour photography as well as contemporary art and art-theoretical explorations of individual art.

Alfred Weidinger *1961 studied art history and classical archaeology at the University of Salzburg. Since April 2020 he has been Managing Director of OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH in Linz/Austria. Previously, as director of the Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig, he focused his research and exhibitions on East German art, in particular on non-conformist art from the GDR era and was committed to the young international art scene. In 2007 he joined the Belvedere in Vienna as chief curator and vice-director, having previously worked as vice-director for the Albertina. His research focuses on classical modernism and contemporary photography as well as media art. In Linz, he adapted the Francisco Carolinum into a house for photography and media art and is committed to almost all forms of contemporary digital art.