1902 Renault- The first colour photograph of an automobile

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The photograph you see here is in all likelihood the first coloured photograph of an automobile. Taken in the year 1906. Which is exactly one year before the Autochrome process patented by brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière in 1903 (some sources say 1904) came on the market.

The Autochrome process which was introduced in France made it possible to take coloured photographs by the means of a coloured screen. Mark Antman explains in his article; The Autochrome: 100 Years of Color Photography very clearly how this works: Fine grains of transparent potato starch were dyed red-orange, green and violet. A fine mixture of this powder, one layer thick, was applied to a glass plate. The spaces between the starch grains were filled in with lampblack and then the entire plate was subjected to enormous pressure. A light sensitive silver bromide emulsion was then applied.  Each grain acted as a small filter permitting the corresponding colored light to pass through and expose the emulsion. Once processed, the result was a glass transparency. In black-and-white photography form, line and tonal quality were the significant features; color added an entirely new dimension and opened up a new world of possibilities.

This technique made it also for the public possible to take coloured images.

But now you are probably wondering how it is possible that the photograph shown above is taken one year before Autochrome came on the market. We will explain that to you. The girl in this 1902  8 HP Renault is Suzanne Lumière. Louis Lumière his daughter. The photograph is taken by one of the inventors during the experimental phase before the `public` was able to produce them. Making this specific photograph (very likely) the first colour photograph of an automobile.

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