"Hi Tomas,
In the 2008 issue of Studies in Photography (the annual periodical of the Scottish Society of the History of Photography), there was a two page article by Sara Stevenson, the former curator of the Photographic Collections in the…"
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James Downs replied to Tomas Nilsson's discussion Carte de Visite mugshots and 1800´s crime related photography.James Downs replied to Gavin Maitland's discussion Seaside Tintypes:"Hi Gavin,
Although from Scotland, I work at the Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture, in Exeter, and wrote a short essay on the photographic collections for the Centre's website last year. In this, I…"
James Downs posted a blog postPublication: A Carnal Medium
The final decade of the nineteenth century possesses a power to intrigue and fascinate that seems only to grow with time. More than a mere decade, the 1890s continues to inspire works of both fiction and non-fiction. It is a period known by many names - fin-de-siècle, Decadent Nineties, the Beardsley Years, the Yellow Decade, even the Naughty Nineties - and populated by a coterie of literary and artistic icons whose work captured the spirit of the passing age.Despite a number of important…See More
James Downs commented on James Downs's blog post Hungarian Research"Marcel - many thanks for your comment. Yes, the background to Szabó's emigration and the story of his remarkable success were fascinating to research, although he is only one from a large number of Hungarians who took their…"
Marcel Safier commented on James Downs's blog post Hungarian Research"James, It is quite interesting that a Hungarian such as Szabo should become ensconced in Scotland and end up taking photos of the Talbots, Brewster, D O Hill and Horatio Ross. Have you established if there is a connection with Samuel Szabo? I look…"
James Downs posted a blog postHungarian Research
Just returned from Budapest, where I have been carrying out more research on Iván Szabó, including a visit to the fortress of Komárom which he helped defend against Austrian forces during the siege of 1849. During this visit I was very fortunate to be accompanied by Dr Gyula Kedves, Director of the Military Museum in Budapest, and an expert on both Komárom and the 1848-49 war. Other highlights of the trip included a visit to the Hungarian House of Photographers at Mai Manó Haz in Nagymezõ Utca,…See More
A former archivist and librarian, I am now working as an independent researcher. Current projects include a biography of Horatio Ross (1801-86), a book on Hungarian photographer Iván Szabó (1822-58) – written in collaboration with the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest – and a study of clergymen photographers of the 19th century.
James Downs's Blog
Publication: A Carnal Medium
The final decade of the nineteenth century possesses a power to intrigue and fascinate that seems only to grow with time. More than a mere decade, the 1890s continues to inspire works of both fiction and non-fiction. It is a period known by many names - fin-de-siècle, Decadent Nineties, the Beardsley Years, the Yellow Decade, even the Naughty Nineties - and populated by a coterie of literary and artistic icons whose work…
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 15:30
Hungarian Research
Just returned from Budapest, where I have been carrying out more research on Iván Szabó, including a visit to the fortress of Komárom which he helped defend against Austrian forces during the siege of 1849. During this visit I was very fortunate to be accompanied by Dr Gyula Kedves, Director of the Military Museum in Budapest, and an expert on both Komárom and the 1848-49 war. Other highlights of the trip included a visit to the Hungarian House of Photographers at Mai Manó Haz in Nagymezõ Utca,… Continue
Posted on May 19, 2011 at 21:27 — 2 Comments
Comment Wall (3 comments)
- At 11:45 on May 25, 2011,
Hugh Ashley Rayner said… Dear James,
I have currently only a very brief note on Simpson:
Simpson, Rev. W.
Amateur. Active in Agra circa 1869. Photographed buildings near Muttra & Agra. His work was published in ‘Illustrations of Buildings near Muttra and Agra’, published by the India Museum in 1873.
(Ref: Biographical index published in ‘From Bombay to Shanghai’ . Stichtung Fragment Foto, Amsterdam, 1995.)
Unfortunately I don't have any info at all, on anyone called Mullens; so any light you can throw on either his or Simpson's photographic endeavours in India would be much appreciated. Likewise, if I find out any more info, I'll pass it on.
Best Wishes, Hugh Rayner.
- At 1:30 on May 23, 2011,
Irene Caesar said… - Hello James! Very nice to meet you! I do not have connections in Hungary, but would love to collaborate there!
- At 21:32 on September 4, 2010, James Downs said…
- Today I bought a carte-de-visite by William Friese Greene: the image itself is relatively uninspiring, but I valued the physical link to one of cinematography's great pioneers. Another purchase today was an old album of photographs from the early 1900s, including clergy portraits, Oxford events and several very fine photographs of boating and rural scenes.
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