Lodewyk Bendikson and Photographic Techniques in Documentation, 1910 – 1943.
Abstract
Photographic techniques were central in research and development in documentation during the first half of the twentieth century, much as digital computing was later. One pioneer of photographic documentary methods was Lodewyk Bendikson (1875-1953) of the Huntington Library, San Marino, California. His work illustrates the development of techniques for the reproduction, preservation, and analysis of documents: (photostats, microcards, microfilm, readers), the use of infrared, ultraviolet, and fluorescent rays for the analysis of damaged and altered documents; and policy issues relating to preservation and dissemination. Easy, inexpensive, reliable document copying became available during Bendikson’s library career and has had very extensive consequences.
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