Final answer:
It is true that initial photographic processes like the Daguerreotype produced unique images, but the development of the calotype process allowed for multiple prints from one negative, signifying the start of reproducible photography.
Step-by-step explanation:
Photography in the 19th Century
The statement that photography produced initially unique images such as Daguerreotypes but allowed for an unlimited number of prints by the middle of the century is true. The Daguerreotype process, invented by Louis Daguerre in 1839, was revolutionary for its time but it had the limitation of producing a single, unique image that could not be replicated. Shortly after, in England, William Henry Fox Talbot developed the calotype process, which indeed used photographic negatives. These negatives made it possible to produce multiple prints from a single exposure, thus marking the beginning of reproducible photography.
The evolution of photography in the 19th century was part of the larger industrial and social changes occurring at the time. The demand for portraiture from the emerging middle class spurred advancements in photographic technology. The Daguerreotype, despite being a significant achievement, had limitations such as fragility and the inability to reproduce images. This led inventors like Talbot to explore alternative photographic processes that allowed for the creation of negatives and, subsequently, reproducible images.