Lunar Photographs No 3, Published by Smith, Beck & Beck, London.

A pair of stereoscopic photographs of the Moon, taken by Warren De La Rue (1815-1889) in 1859 and 1860. The left-hand photograph was taken on August 27, 1860 at 10.12 p.m. when the Moon was 11 days old. The right-hand photograph was taken on December 5, 1859 at 8.30 p.m. when the Moon was 11.3 days old.

Because the moon is so far away, creating a stereo image isn't easy. Creating the 3D effect requires two shots with only slightly different angles. Warren De La Rue solved this by taking the photos at different times, resulting is differences in crater shadows that give a three dimensional-like result. In this example (series III), there are about eight months between the two photos.

The effect is really beautiful. Even Sir John Herschel expressed his "admiration of their transcendent and wonderful effect. It is a step in nature but beyond human nature as if a giant with eyes some thousands of miles apart looked at the Moon through a binocular. What surprises me most is the extraordinary difference in the two pictures as seen by either of the eyes separately not only in form but in shadow & light & the way in which they blend into something quite astonishing." [letter from Herschel to De La Rue, October 10, 1858].

The albumen prints are in very good condition with beautiful tonality.

ca. 8,4 x 17,2 cm