Stephen H. Horgan
Born
Stephen Henry Horgan

(1854-02-02)February 2, 1854
Norfolk, Virginia
DiedAugust 30, 1941(1941-08-30) (aged 87)
Orange, New Jersey
OccupationInventor
AwardsAIGA medal (1924)

Stephen Henry Horgan (February 2, 1854 – August 30, 1941), was the inventor of the halftone process for newspaper usage, and early-on improvements.

Biography

A Scene in Shantytown, New York, The Daily Graphic, March 4, 1880

Stephen Henry Horgan was born in Norfolk, Virginia on February 2, 1854.[1][2]

The half-tone method he invented was to use a glass screen with fine lines in it which translated the gradations of an image when placed between a light-sensitive metal plate and a negative. The final image created was a metal picture made of black dots surrounded by white.[3] It is said that he was fired from that job by Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett, Jr., who described the idea as idiotic. Horgan then went over to their rival, The Daily Graphic.

The Graphic debuted half-tone printing[4] with the first printed photograph of an image of Steinway Hall in Manhattan, published on December 2, 1873. His Shantytown scene was printed by them in 1880. It was "the first reproduction of a photograph with a full tonal range in a newspaper."[5]

Horgan was the first to create a newspaper image with a rotary/power press. He was then working for the New-York Tribune in 1897.[6] A major breakthrough, this brought about the rapid increase of illustrations in dailies.

Horgan received the AIGA medal in 1924 for his invention.[7]

He contributed an article on Frederick W. von Egloffstein to the Catholic Encyclopedia.[1]

Stephen Henry Horgan died in Orange, New Jersey on August 30, 1941.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 The Catholic Encyclopedia and its Makers. The Encyclopedia Press. 1917. p. 80. Retrieved June 11, 2021 – via archive.org.
  2. ↑ Gross, Ernie; Worth, Roland H. Jr. (January 30, 2001). This Day in American History, 4th ed. McFarland. ISBN 9780786448395.
  3. ↑ Sloan, W. David; Parcell, Lisa Mullikin (April 10, 2002). American Journalism: History, Principles, Practices. McFarland. ISBN 9780786413713.
  4. ↑ Current Biography 1941, p. 408
  5. ↑ Douglas, Ava. "Stephen H. Horgan". History of Graphic Design. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  6. ↑ Image of Thomas Platt - "Platt Elected Senator". New-York Tribune. January 21, 1897. p. 1. Retrieved June 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Past Recipients". American Institute of Graphic Arts. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Noted Inventor of Half-Tone Process Dies". The Atlanta Constitution. Orange, New Jersey. AP. August 31, 1941. p. 5. Retrieved June 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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