Discover the story behind the creation of the Meteorological Atlas of Cloud Types, a groundbreaking work that set the standard for cloud classification.

BY EDITORIAL TEAM

In 1894, a meeting was held in Uppsala convened by The International Meteorological Committee. The aim was to establish a scientific standard for clouds and cloud formations. Over 300 cloud photographs were studied, and with their help, discussions ensued regarding the definition of clouds and the various types of clouds to be categorized.

During a subsequent meeting in Paris in 1896, meteorological scientists reached a consensus, leading to the creation of a cloud atlas with 30 cloud images. Its categories and names are still valid today.
Of all these 30 photos, 27 were taken by photographers/researchers, but three cloud formations were not captured in photographs. Instead, they were painted by artists and then photographed.

This is the rare first edition using a highly valuable production method where the photo is first converted into a lithographic plate, which is then used to create a series of plates, each representing different colors.
Nine of the photographs were taken by Swedish photographers/researchers, M. Osti, H. Hildebrandsson, and M.A. Lundal, depicting rooftops with clouds above Uppsala.
The work consists of 13 plates, with 27 photographs printed in color in 1896, by Brunner & Hauser, Zurich, Switzerland, using a technique called Photochromotypie, and one plate with three photos printed by W. Schlachter, Stockholm, Sweden.

The images, sized 330 x 250 mm, are mounted on black cardboard with text and signed by Hildebrandsson.