Hércules Florence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hércules Florence
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portrait circa 1870
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Antoine Hercule Romuald Florence
29 February 1804 |
| Died | 27 March 1879 (aged 75) |
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Antoine Hercule Romuald Florence (born February 29, 1804 – died March 27, 1879) was a talented painter and inventor. He was born in Monaco but later became a Brazilian citizen. He is famous for inventing photography in Brazil. He did this in 1832, even before others in Europe were recognized for it. He also used the word "photography" to describe his work in 1834. This was years before the word became widely known.
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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Hércules Florence was born on February 29, 1804, in Nice, France. From a young age, he loved drawing and science. He was also very interested in the journeys of great explorers. When he was just 14, he worked as a calligrapher and draftsman in Monaco.
After traveling and working on different ships, Hércules Florence sailed to Brazil. He arrived in Rio de Janeiro on May 1, 1824. Brazil had just become independent from Portugal two years earlier. He was already a skilled draftsman and painter. He was also very curious about nature and different cultures. Soon after arriving, he found work in a fashion store. Then he worked as a lithographer in a printing shop.
Joining a Great Expedition
Florence's life changed when he saw an advertisement in a newspaper. Baron von Langsdorff, a Russian consul and naturalist, was looking for people. He was organizing a big scientific trip to the Amazon Basin. Florence was hired as an illustrator and mapmaker. He joined other artists like Johann Moritz Rugendas.
In 1825, they traveled by sea from Rio to Santos. During this journey, Florence kept detailed notes. He later published his memories of the expedition. His book was called Voyage fluvial du Tieté à l'Amazone.
Life as a Businessman and Inventor
After the expedition ended, in 1830, Florence got married. He married Maria Angélica de Vasconcellos. They moved to Campinas, a city in São Paulo. There, he became a successful farmer and publisher. He even owned the first printing press in the town. He lived in Campinas for 49 years until he passed away.
Maria died in 1850. Four years later, he married Carolina Krug. She was a German immigrant. Together, they started a school for girls in 1863. It was called the Florence College. Hércules Florence had many children, 20 in total.
Inventing New Printing Methods
In Campinas, Hércules Florence became a busy inventor. During his expedition, he had created a new way to write down bird songs. He called this "zoophonia."
In 1830, he wanted an easier way to print his more than 200 drawings from the expedition. Engraving on wood or metal was too slow and costly. So, he invented a new process. It was similar to a mimeograph machine. He named it "polygraphia." He started using this method in his printing office. As his technique improved, he could even use colors. He also found a way to make bank notes that were hard to copy.
Pioneering Photography
In 1832, Florence began to study how to make permanent images. He worked with a friend, Joaquim Correa de Mello, who was a pharmacist. They wanted to capture images from a camera obscura. Florence called this new process "photographia."
By 1833, they found a way to use silver nitrate on paper. This chemical mixture had been tried by Thomas Wedgwood around 1800. But Wedgwood could not make his images last. Florence's notes show that he succeeded in making lasting photographs. He could even take pictures of real-world scenes.
Sadly, Hércules Florence was not widely known for his invention. He lived in a remote area and did not publish his work widely. Because of this, he was never recognized internationally as one of the first inventors of photography. He passed away in Campinas, Brazil, in 1879.
Today, one of his photographic images is very important. It shows labels from pharmaceutical flasks. Florence made it in Campinas in 1833. It is called Epréuve Nº2 (photographie). This image is now at the Instituto Moreira Salles in São Paulo, Brazil. It is considered the oldest photographic record on the American continent. It shows how he used silver salts to capture light.
