palladiumprints

Palladium prints are a type of photochemical image on paper created by reducing palladium salts in a light-exposed print. The process uses palladium salts (for example palladium chloride or ammonium tetrachloropalladate) to sensitize a paper sheet, typically with a ferric citrate developer. The sensitized sheet is contacted with a photographic negative and exposed to ultraviolet light. After exposure, the image is developed by applying a mild reducing agent (such as ascorbic acid, glyoxal, hydroquinone, or formaldehyde), which reduces palladium ions to metallic palladium in the image areas. The print is then washed; toning with gold or other solutions can alter color and improve permanence.

Palladium prints are typically monochrome with a warm brown to deep black tone, and are prized for fine detail, smooth tonal gradation, and a broad tonal range. They closely resemble platinum prints but are usually less expensive to produce, and the resulting image often has a characteristic soft, luminous quality.

Historically, palladium printing emerged in the late 19th century as an alternative to platinum printing and remained popular into the early 20th century. In contemporary practice, it is maintained by practitioners of alternative photochemical processes and is valued for its aesthetic and archival qualities.

Care and preservation: Palladium prints are sensitive to sulfur-containing pollutants and acidic environments; they should be stored away from direct light, heat, and humidity fluctuations, ideally in archival sleeves and boxes.