JF Ptak Science Books  Quick Post 

Here’s an unexpected and fine detail, found in the 19th century photograph described below: 

There’s a seldom-used category on this blog concentrating on the concentrated viewing of antique images–that is, using your paper microscope to find the bits and bobs within complex imagery. Sometimes the found landscapes and portraits are purely serendipitous, and other times–mainly in engravings and woodcuts–there are details manufactured by an amused and perhaps bored artist, looking for a little entertainment and fun by burying an unusual vignette or detail in the mass of a large image. Today’s example is simply a photograph of the busy Westminster road, Piccadilly, made around 1880-1885–the image is fine enough to withstand some relatively deep probing, even with a  3200 dpi scan.  The image as it stands is very attractive, but once you start a strong look at it there’s a lot more going on.  (This works out even better under a microscope, but I don’t have an optical attachment for it for my camera.)

For example, its easy to overlook the street sweepers (at lower right), the pair of them working side-by-side in the midst of the bustling road traffic: