Auguste-Adolphe Bertsch

Auguste-Adolphe Bertsch was a technical photographer and researcher documented as active in 1853. Bertsch specialized in utilizing photographic processes for scientific documentation, focusing intensely on the microscopic structure of natural specimens.

The scope of Bertsch’s practice was defined by the application of extreme magnification to biological and geological materials, effectively blending scientific illustration with early photographic documentation. The 15 photographs currently represented in museum collections exemplify this specialized output. These works often utilized revolutionary techniques, such as the highly magnified study Antennes de Moucheron grossies 900 fois [Midge Fly Antenna] and the study of human physiology evidenced by Globules du sang del’homme grossissement 250,000 en Surface [Human Blood Cells]. Further examples illustrating the diversity of his subjects include Diatomée [Diatom] and the botanical structures analyzed in Chestnut Tree Wood: Vertical Section, 600x magnification.

Today, Auguste-Adolphe Bertsch prints are preserved in the permanent holdings of major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. These high-quality prints serve as important historical records of 19th-century scientific visualization. Given the age of the materials, much of Bertsch’s output is available in the public domain for research and study.