January 09

On January 9, 1839, the French Academy of Sciences revealed the daguerreotype, a photographic process invented by Louis Daguerre. This early form of photography used a silvered copper plate to produce sharp, detailed images with unprecedented realism. The announcement opened the floodgates for portraiture and documentation, altering how people captured and remembered the world. Daguerre's method rapidly spread across Europe and America, leading to the first commercial photography studios. The daguerreotype's impact on art, journalism, and personal memories laid the foundation for modern photographic technology.