An explanation of "The new mode of producing sculpture by the id of photography" was recently given by Mr. H. M. Edmunds, its inventor, before the Royal Photographic Society.
Some sculptured portraits in wood and alabaster were much admired by jthe many visitors who examined {them before the lecture began. A [peculiarity of these things was the evidence that the tool had worked in spiral furrows, and as the lecturer proceeded it soon became apparent that herein lay the secret of the invention. He explained that a spiral is projected on the objective—in all cases a human head—and that this is photographed, so that; the portrait thus obtained is mark-{ed by spiral convolutions, of which 40 go to the inch. In this way a guide-plate is produced for use \in_ the machine.
basic principle is that the distortion of the convolutions from the original spiral correspond. with the irregularities of surface in the subject photographed. To take advantage of this for the purpose of making a solid reproduction in relief the hair-lines of the convolutions are followed by a moving microscope guided by eye and hand, and this microscope is connected with a lathe running a high-speed drill. The effect is that the microscope in passing over the lines causes the drill to carve out the sculpture to the exact: depth indicated by the distortion of the convolutions, so that, working from the centre of the spiral to the sides, a has-relici is formed. When this operation is dono the sculptured work may finished by hand, the surface being smoothed, and such artistic modifications as "are required being added.
The inventor himself was concerned to introduce any play of artistic fancy, and thought that the results were in some respects more effective as left by the drill. But in the discussion it was suggested that artists might possibly be able ito make use of the invention as a basis for personal expression, as distinguished from automatic representation. The inventor was complimented on the scientific thoroughness, extreme precision, and ingennity that characterize the process.
Loypox, Jan. 27.—The death 1s which is mainly a question ofjannounced of Chevalier Luigi Denza, the celebrated Italian musician, at the age of 75 years.—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.