Daguerreobase

Daguerreotype of Louis Daguerre in 1844 by Jean-Baptiste Sabatier-Blot

Daguerreobase is a public platform of archives, libraries, museums and private contributors from across Europe. Daguerreobase assembles and preserves information on daguerreotypes. It aims to bring together digital images and descriptions of more than 25 000 European historical daguerreotypes and related literature. Daguerreobase is a unique research tool for daguerreotypes, not only for scientists, but also for collectors, photographers and the general public.

In Daguerreobase you will see amazing historical pictures made by the first photographers in Europe, and you will find quality images of daguerreotypes in a common database.

The database will teach you how to recognise these unique objects and how to share them with the public at large. The content will also become available through Europeana, the portal and digital library for European Cultural Heritage of the European Union.

In 2014 Daguerreobase and Europeana will celebrate the 175th birthday of photography with a Virtual Exhibition of European daguerreotypes on their website.

Currently 18 partners from 13 different European countries are working together: institutions, private-collectors and photograph conservators.

The project is partially funded under the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) as part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme by the European Community.