In 1896, Josef Maria Eder and Eduard Valenta embarked on an innovative project titled Experiments in Photography by Means of Röntgen's Rays (German: Versuche über Photographie mittelst der Röntgen’schen Strahlen), marking one of the earliest explorations into X-ray photography. This groundbreaking work emerged mere weeks after Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen's discovery of X-rays was publicly announced. Eder, a chemist and director of the Imperial-Royal Institute for Teaching and Experimenting in Photography in Vienna, and Valenta, a professor of photochemistry at the same institution, brought their expertise in photo-chemistry and photomechanical reproduction to this pioneering endeavor.
The project was deeply rooted in the scientific and cultural fervor of the late 19th century, an era captivated by technological breakthroughs and the expanding potential of photography. Röntgen’s discovery resonated across scientific and artistic communities, inspiring Eder and Valenta to investigate the photographic applications of X-rays. They sought to refine exposure times and experiment with various techniques to maximize the potential of this new medium.
The artistic vision of the project lay in its exploration of the invisible. This period’s broader fascination with the hidden layers of reality—from microscopic organisms to the invisible spectrum—undoubtedly influenced their approach. Eder and Valenta’s X-ray images captured skeletal structures of animals, human extremities, and an array of inanimate objects, including jewels and biological specimens, offering a novel perspective on the world. The series not only documented the functional aspects of X-rays but also transcended scientific illustration, venturing into the realm of aesthetic interpretation. The images showcased intricate details, revealing the interplay of structure and material in a way that mirrored natural-history illustrations while foreshadowing modernist visual explorations.
Eder and Valenta's methodology blended scientific rigor with innovation, focusing on reducing exposure times to make X-ray imaging more practical. They also experimented with a pinhole camera obscura to improve sharpness and control. A key achievement was their stereoscopic imaging technique, which used two exposures from slightly different angles to create images for stereoscope viewing, producing a striking three-dimensional effect. This approach closely aligned with the scientific aim of enhancing observational clarity and understanding of internal structures.
Reception was strong within scientific circles, and its influence soon extended beyond laboratory use. More recently, selections from the project have been featured in museum surveys such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Sight Reading, and complete or partial sets reside in collections including The Met, the Science Museum Group, and the George Eastman Museum. These presentations have framed the portfolio as both a scientific milestone and an artistic inquiry into visualizing the invisible, shaping later practices in medical imaging, scientific documentation, and photographic experimentation.
