Leonardo DaVinci: The First Photographer?

Extract

Some 350 years before the invention of photography, Leonardo DaVinci may very well have produced the first photograph - the Shroud of Turin. This extraordinary hypothesis attracted shroud experts Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, and their efforts to prove or disprove this theory resulted in their recent book Turin Shroud. During their shroud investigations, the authors delved deeply into historical lore, piecing together diverse facts and opinions including those of such figures as the Knights of Templar, alchemists, secret societies, and even Pope innocent VIII. The authors provided convincing evidence that the shroud could have been produced using photograph i c -like techniques that were within the identified capabilities of DaVinci. Most importantly, the authors were able to recreate shroud "look-alike" images with materials and techniques believed to be available to, or devised by, Leonardo DaVinci in the creation of the Turin Shroud.