Photography

The National Museum of Iceland acquired a collection of photographic plates from Teigarhorn in 1981. This collection included outdoor photographs taken by Nicoline and Hansína, invaluable historical images from the East of Iceland, as well as portrait photographs taken by Hansína and Nicoline. The core of the portrait collection by Nicoline had been acquired by the museum in 1943. Along with the purchase in 1981 came various items related to the photography studio operation at Teigarhorn. Most of these items likely dates to Nicoline’s working years, although Hansína naturally added to the equipment when she began working. Here, we will explore some of these artifacts further.

At the dawn of photography, the exposure time for photographs was long, longer than for people to remain still during the process. To ensure that subjects did not move their heads, a device called neck brace was used, which secured the neck of the sitter. This neck brace has been referred to as „hnakkajárn“ in Icelandic. Such neck braces were an essential part of the equipment for all photographers in Iceland. The only known head brace in Iceland is in the Teigarhorn collection. It was primarily in use in Nicoline’s photography studio during her early years of work, from 1872 to 1888.

In 1888, Nicoline began taking photographs using a new technique with dry plates, which required shorter exposure times. After that, the need for the head brace decreased, at least during the summer when there was sufficient light. However, during the winter months, photographers in Iceland faced difficulties due to the limited daylight.

Painted backdrops were considered an essential part of a photographer’s equipment. These backdrops often tried to mimic lavish interiors or romantic landscapes. After Hansína had perfected her photography skills in Copenhagen around the turn of the century, she brought a painted backdrop with her when she returned home, such backdrops may not have been used earlier at Teigarhorn. The backdrop is of German design. Backdrops were commonly used in Iceland, even though many photographers used alternative solutions such as curtains, white cloth, or sails when a backdrop was not readily available, and wall sections or house gables were not considered suitable backgrounds.

The equipment used to develop photographs after the image capture consisted of various items. Among the items preserved from Teigarhorn are developing frames of various sizes, where photographic paper was placed along with the photographic plate, the precursor to film, and sunlight was used to develop the image. There are also mentions of worktables from the darkroom, as well as trays and chemical bottles, making it possible to recreate the darkroom environment near the photography studio in a fairly comprehensive manner.

Source: Inga Lára Baldvinsdóttir. „Ljósmyndaáhöld frá Teigarhorni.“ Gersemar og þarfaþing. Reykjavík 1994, pp. 248-249.