SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY. The rise of spiritualism in America and in Europe was accompanied by a boom in photographs which claimed to capture spirits. The original spirit photograph was recognized as a mistake: an unwashed plate that was re-printed. However, the images tapped into a popular demand in the wake of the civil war where so many had died. These photographs allowed people to feel con-nected and close to the abscent and the dead.
The history of spirit photography is marked by a few trials. One notable example is the trial of Édouard Isidore Buget in the 1870s. After having been supported by the Spiritualists as a real practitioner of Spirit Photography, he was taken to trial by an opposing party. During the trial, Buget disclaimored all of his work as illusions and yet the Spiritualists and his most ardent followers continued to believe his work was true.
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