The First Picture
Niépce captured this image using a process known as heliography, which involved coating a pewter plate with bitumen and exposing it to light for several hours. The light caused the bitumen to harden in the areas it touched, creating a permanent image. This image, known as “View from the Window at Le Gras,” depicts the view from Niépce’s country house in Burgundy, France.
Niépce’s invention of photography was a major breakthrough in the history of technology and art. It paved the way for the development of modern photography and the birth of a new art form. Today, the photograph is housed at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin and serves as a reminder of the incredible ingenuity and creativity of the pioneers of photography.