Experimental artistic research on the basis of the galvanography technique by Franz von Kobell (1840)

Abstract

Technical and methodological aspects of the production of galvanographs, a printing technique from the 1840s, were investigated both in a techno-historical and experimental manner. This new graphic technique was invented by Franz von Kobell in Munich. The businessman and owner of the paper shop Theyer & Hardtmuth, Franz Theyer, further developed and optimized the technique in the first Austrian laboratory for electrotyping in Vienna. The presented investigations support a better and more accurate identification of galvanographically generated printing plates and prints. The historical printing plates examined showed the use of various conventional graphic techniques and tools in combination with galvanography. Traces of a dry needle, wooden spatulas, roulettes and various burins indicated the use of mixed techniques. Experiments conducted showed that viscosity, heterogeneity, layer thickness and composition of the paints influenced the electrodeposited copper layer. The best results were achieved with a conductive powder layer over the paint, with graphite proving to be superior to silver.