Blogs

In research I am conducting about the first exhibitions of photography, I have been made aware of entries in the 1841 Royal Scottish Academy annual exhibition catalogue. 

Roddy Simpson, in his book The Photography of Victorian Scotland, states that four Daguerreotypes were exhibited, but information I received directly from the RSA indicates only three were displayed.The catalogue provides entries for three Daguerreotypes, all by a photographer identified only as "Montreal, D. 18 Drummond Street, Paris."

I am unable to find anything online about this individual, and I am posting this to see if anyone has any further information. Here is the entry page from the catalogue:

I recently acquired an amazing group of circa 40 glass stereoviews depicting prison life in the penitentiary of Clermont [Clermont-Ferrand, I believe) in the Auvergne in France. In addition to life in prison, they depict exhibits at the Exposition  Penitentiaire. Although I can not find any reference to where and when this exposition was organised, I assume it formed part of the Exposition Universelle of Paris in 1889. However, in my opinion, the most interesting images are those dedicated to prison life. Although clearly staged, they provide a fascinating glimpse into a Dickensian world. Among others there are scenes of the prison courtroom, washerwomen, young boys fencing, the kitchens, and many, many others. I suspect the images were made on order of a ministry or other government body to show how modern,humane and efficient the new prison (or workhouse) functioned. Anyway, I am fascinated by these views and am trying to find out more about them. Perhaps there is anyone out there who can tell me more ?! 

We at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts have been investigating the early London career of British photographer Florence Vandamm, who worked in NYC from 1924 to her retirement in 1962.  We discovered that she opened her first studio in London in 1908.  This site has been very helpful at providing resources and links. 

The exhibition (Pioneering Poet of Light: Florence Vandamm & the Vandamm Studio) will open in mid-September and runs through the end of February.  Please visit. Click here: http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/poet-light-florence-vandamm-vandamm-studio

We are blogging about Vandamm's work on the Library's www.nypl.org.  You can find them in he Vandamm channel or under my name.

Image: Re-discovered image from a glass negative of the Theatre Guild's 1928 production of Faust, NYPL. 

Australian photos sent to c19th world fairs which stayed in European/American collections. I am researching an exhibition on the history of the photograph in Australia 1840s - now, for 2015. Most of the photographs Australia sent to world fairs in the 19th c stayed overseas. We are trying to track these down.

If anyone has 19th century Australian photos in their collection please do get in touch on my work email judy.annear@ag.nsw.gov.au

Best wishes and I hope to hear from you

Judy