Replication and study of the colouration of Edmond Becquerel's photochromatic images

•Both the electrochemical and immersion sensitization routes of Edmond Becquerel's process were successfully reproduced in the laboratory.•The exposition to visible light creates a reflectance increase at the exposition wavelength.•At a radiant exposure of 10kJm−2, colours are unique and resemble that of the exposition wavelength.•Electrochemically sensitized plates are more sensitive and allow to reach a larger chromatic space than immersion-sensitized plates. Edmond Becquerel's process of making photochromatic images, which are the first colours photographs, is still poorly understood. In particular, the origin of the colours of these images gave rise to a long-lasting debate, starting from the publication of Becquerel in 1848 until the end of the xixth century. This photographic process was replicated in the laboratory, and the colouration of the sensitized plates was studied by means of visible spectroscopy. A comprehensive description of the sensitization routes that were adapted from Becquerel's writing is given. The study of the exposition step allowed us to gain insights in the colouration mechanisms of the sensitized plates, and to compare between the two sensitization routes developed by Becquerel in terms of spectral sensitivity and colour faithfulness. The so-called “electrochemically sensitized” samples were found to be more sensitive and to reach a larger chromatic space than the “immersion-sensitized” ones. Finally, a reproducible way of creating coloured samples is suggested.