Albumen print

A paper for making photographic prints, on which egg whites (albumen) coated the paper in order to increase its sensitivity, adding to the brightness of whites in the picture. This process was invented in the mid-nineteenth century by Blanquart-Evrard. Albumen prints were the state of the art in photography from 1855 to 1895, when gelatin provided a more stable effect.Examples: Matthew Brady (American, 1823-1896) Studio, Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 1864, albumen silver print, (carte de visite), 3 5/16 x 2 3/16 inches (8.5 x 5.4 cm), National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.