acetypes

Acetypes are a type of photographic printing process that creates positive images on a transparent base. Developed in the mid-19th century, acetypes offered an alternative to paper-based prints by allowing for projection or viewing through light. The process typically involved coating a glass or celluloid plate with a light-sensitive emulsion containing silver salts, which would then be exposed to an image. Development and fixing processes followed, resulting in a durable, transparent positive.

These prints found applications in early motion pictures and lantern slides, where their transparency was crucial for illumination and projection. While not as widespread as some other contemporary photographic methods, acetypes played a role in the evolution of visual media. The term "aceto" itself suggests a connection to acetic acid, which was sometimes used in the formulation of the emulsions or fixing baths. Over time, advancements in photographic technology led to the development of more efficient and versatile processes, and acetypes became less common.