Blogs

Photo Oxford 2017 is presenting an afternoon of stimulating discussions with artists, curators and academics that draw on the themes and theories explored in Photo Oxford 2017, a series of explorations into the complex and often contradictory relationship between photography’s capacity to both conceal and reveal. Of particular note is Professor Val Williams on the practice of reconceptualising photographic archives and Martin Parr discusses the making of his newly-commissioned project Oxford, created for the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University Press and Photo Oxford, with Richard Ovenden.

Thursday September 7th

The Weston Library’s Lecture Theatre

Bodleian Libraries

University of Oxford

See more and book here

Derby's historic photography studio W W Winter will be opening its doors between 8-10 September as part of Heritage Open Days. 

See more here: http://wwwinter.co.uk/historyandheritage.html Booking is essential at: office@wwwinter.co.uk

Some months ago while browsing the net I came upon several photographs attributed to Thomas Begbie; I recognised several of these photographs as ones which I held in my collection. This led me to the Capital Collections website of Edinburgh Council libraries and museums where I recognised several further images which I own. I then acquired a copy of the 1992 book Thomas Begbie's Edinburgh - a Mid-Victorian Portrait by Joe Rock and again there were further photographs illustrated that I own. However in every case the photographs that I recognised were original Victorian stereographs by Alexander McGlashon.

It was immediately apparent that the dating of the photographs, mostly stereographs, on the Capital Collections site was generally incorrect. The images are mostly dated 1887 on the site but many of these were advertised for sale by McGlashon in 1858 in Menzies Magazine. This dating problem can be verified additionally in some instances from physical features in the photographs; for example a view of Princes Street in Edinburgh from the Scott Monument shows Campbell’s North British Hotel which was still trading as such in 1857 but by 1858 had become Wilson’s North British Hotel. Similarly a stereo of the Covenanters Tomb in Greyfriars Churchyard is dated 1887; however the stereograph which I own, in addition to bearing the McGlashon name, has on the right hand margin the embossed stamp of the Edinburgh Stereographic Co of New York, which operated in the late 1850s. Capital Collections incorrectly dates these and other images to 1887.

Begbie was born in the first half of 1841 making him age 16/17 when these stereos were taken. Oddly there are few contemporary references to him. Indeed a detailed search of the online British Newspaper Archive failed to produce any references to him. Begbie did run a studio from his house in Leith Street from 1874 – 1881 but from the lack of any other recorded photographic activities it is reasonable to assume that he was not particularly successful as a photographer. Indeed I am struck by lack of surviving photos bearing the Begbie name and in particular I have not seen any Victorian stereoviews with his name on them. By contrast the contemporary press confirms the active photographic involvement of McGlashon - he photographed many well known individuals;  he lectured on the theory and practice of photography in the Edinburgh Institute; he was a council member of the Edinburgh Photographic Society whose meetings he on occasion chaired and he also gave talks to them on photographic subjects; he was involved in photographic projects with Octavius Hill including exhibiting at the London International exhibition in 1862.

If these stereo plates were ever in the possession of Begbie, and there is no clear evidence that they were, I would suggest that the most likely scenario was that he purchased them from McGlashon with a view to reusing them, but that his business never grew sufficiently for him to make use of them. Bearing on mind that these plates were discovered in St James Square, Edinburgh in 1950 it may also be relevant that at the time of his death in 1877 the McGlashon business was based in St James Square and his daughter lived in a further address in that Square which she still owned at the time of her death in 1919.

In the introductory pages of the book by Joe Rock there is clear and I believe well founded scepticism that the youthful Begbie could have been the photographer. I have recently corresponded with Joe on this subject and he has confirmed that he has always been sceptical of the attribution of these photographs to Begbie; as he stated in the book “on balance we must accept Begbie as the author until more evidence should prove otherwise” – I think that the required evidence is now available that the photographs are by Alexander McGlashon and should be recognised as such.

Pauline Heathcote’s archives in the care of Eric Butler at Bromley House Library have been the cornerstone of our research into Somerset Photography . The Archive and the book “A Faithful Likeness” written by Pauline and Bernard Heathcote covers early British photography from its beginnings to 1855 it is a mine of information for researchers of early  photography . I recommend them to anyone embarking on a similar county study like ours for Somerset which should be available in the next few months .

The Archive is available by contacting Eric Butler , a member of this site , the book is well worth having if you can find a copy .

Having just joined the British Photographic History Group, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and the research that I am carrying out. My name is Peter Norman, I am a Technician working at the National Portrait Gallery in London and I am looking to develop a workable method to reproduce the Lumiere Autochrome colour process. Over the past year I have been learning the Silver Gelatin Bromide technique as well as producing the coloured starch mosaic that is integral to this process (see image). I have recently appeared in the BBC documentary, 'Olive Edis: Fisherman to Kings' explaining how the Autochrome works and the research that I am doing. Further to this I would like to make contact via this page with those who are interested in following my work and who have knowledge of the Autochrome process. Please feel free to post comments and here is a link to my instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/theautochromeproject/

An opportunity for two library cataloguers has arisen to catalogue a unique photobook collection of 13,000 items. The collection has been meticulously assembled over decades and requires cataloguing to become part of Tate Library’s Special collections. It is both national and international in its range.

You will have a qualification in librarianship or related discipline combined with relevant post-qualification cataloguing experience with serials, monographs and exhibition catalogues using an automated library system, AACR2 and MARC 21. You will also have experience in cataloguing materials in English and in languages other than English as the collection is international in scope.

You will be joining a small, enthusiastic and friendly team of Librarians, all of whom participate in the delivery of research services to Tate staff and external researchers in the Reading Rooms at Tate Britain.  You will, therefore, have good communication and interpersonal skills with experience of delivering excellent customer service.  

Tate Library is part of the world’s largest repository of British art from 1500 and international art from 1900. The Library Collections are housed in the Hyman Kreitman Reading Rooms and Stores at Tate Britain.

The photobook collection is likely to be Martin Parr's collection of photo books which the Tate has acquired.

Applications close 20 August 2017

See more here:  http://workingat.tate.org.uk/pages/job_search_view.aspx?jobId=3406

A new website which showcases the Terence Pepper Collection which contains over 2,000 photographs including many by leading photographers and historic news picture libraries is now available. It launches officially on 1 October 2017.

Terence Pepper was for many years curator at the National Portrait Gallery and between 1977 and 2014 over 3,000 items from the collection were donated to the National Portrait Gallery, London and other museums. Digital records of this gift and the associated celebratory display can be found here.

Check out the website here: https://www.terencepeppercollection.com/

Image: Mary Quant, photographed by Vic Singh, 1961

Hello, I am seeking any information about these two albumen photos. From my research, I believe that they are private photos of John Dawson Watson, RWS, in his April,1871 amateur production of Twelfth Night, at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

Watson was photographed by David Wilkie Wynfield, in ancient costume.

Apparently, he created all of the costumes for this production.

Watson is such a fascinating character, I am looking for more information about his life and work.

Thank you in advance,

David

Later this year I will be publishing a collection of found photographs of twin sisters from 1850-1950 and would like to access a list of galleries and bookshops that stock books on photography.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

The Nicéphore Niépce museum in Chalon-sur-Saône is looking for a new director. With a collection of 3 million photographs, prints, negatives, contact sheets, historic cameras etc., the Nicéphore Niépce museum is one of the first museums in the history of photography in France. Created in 1972, it holds the Musée de France label and was directed by Paul Jay and François Cheval. See more here 

Histories of Photography: Invention, Transformation & Affirmation is an eight-week course from The Photographers' Gallery, London. It introduces participants to the richness and diversity of photography’s histories. It takes its point of departure from photography’s early origins in the mid nineteenth century, it navigates through the many transformations that the medium has undergone since, and finishes with its definitive acceptance as an art form in the later half of the twentieth century.

The course follows some of the main trajectories through which photography’s histories unfolded over the course of around 150 years (1830s–1980s), such as the relationship with technology, science and other art forms. It maps out the key moments, practitioners, movements and exhibitions, touching upon the medium’s diverse relations with societies and political ideologies, and reflecting on the global scope of its influence.

Each week takes on a different theme or angle:

Week 1: Inventing a Medium

Week 2: Photography in and as Fine Art

Week 3: New Vision

Week 4: Surrealism and its Legacies

Week 5: The Social Field

Week 6: The Politics of Landscape

Week 7: Conceptual Uses of the Still Image

Week 8: Postmodern Documents

Weekly recommended readings will be accompanied by extended readings and a course bibliography. Suitable for all levels.

About the course tutor:
Jelena Stojković is an art historian and lecturer based in London. She holds a PhD from the University of Westminster and teaches across Fine Art and Photography courses at the University of the Arts London (Camberwell and LCC). Her book, Surrealism and Photography in 1930s Japan: The Impossible Avant-Garde, is forthcoming from I.B. Tauris in 2018.

See more: http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/course-histories-of-photography

1894 seems pretty late for a tintype, but I am sure this show my 3 x Great Uncle Frank Walton's second wedding to Mary Bailey in Halifax in March 1894. Its certainly a great photo in terms of resolution and we know 4 of the 5 people in the photo. 

Any comments on the photo would be of interest...

Regards

Peter

See: unsure%20on%20tin.jpg

The V&A was one of the first museums to collect and exhibit photographs. Today, the collection is one of the most important in the world, recognised internationally for its breadth of content, including works that span the 1820s to the present day. This is a particularly exciting year for photography at the V&A, with the recent transfer of the vast collection of the Royal Photographic Society, and spectacular new photography galleries opening in 2018.

This course will present an overview of the history of the medium, encompassing works by a broad array of historic and contemporary practitioners. Subjects covered range from landscapes, portraiture and fashion imagery to contemporary camera-less photography and photobooks. Students will have the opportunity to view up-close some of the magnificent original works in the collection, as well as visit the behind-the-scenes areas of the museum where photographs are stored and conserved.

Course Leaders: V&A Curators Martin Barnes and Susanna Brown

Six weeks: Tuesday 3 October 2017-Tuesday 14 November 2017 at 1830 to 2030. The course will have half term on the 24 October
£303 full price, £273 over 60s, £259 concessions 
(concessions are available for ES40 holders and registered disabled people)

See more and register here: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/Vn1NRayw/history-of-photography-2017#intro

Using his knowledge of art, botany, chemistry, and optics, William Henry Fox Talbot (British, 1800–1877) invented a means of turning an ordinary piece of paper into “photogenic drawings,” calotypes, and salted paper prints in 1839. Featuring more than 30 works, many of which have never before been shown, the exhibition will provide visitors a glimpse into the earliest days of photography. This is the largest exhibition of Talbot’s work in a North American museum in nearly 15 years, and the first show ever in Pittsburgh to present these important photographs from the dawn of the medium.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a beautiful, small-format book that serves as a primer on  the work of Talbot, featuring an introductory essay by curator Dan Leers and thematic groupings elucidated by noted Talbot scholar Larry Schaaf. With its luminous reproductions of Talbot’s fragile works, this publication (hardcover, 96 pages, 50 illustrations, $25) demonstrates that early photography required a form of magic-making and innovation that continues to inspire people today.

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh
Nov 18, 2017–Feb 11, 2018 
GALLERY ONE
http://cmoa.org/exhibition/talbot/

Image: William Henry Fox Talbot, “Black Cherry Leaves,” likely 1839, photogenic drawing negative, 7 1/4 x 9 in. (image/paper), The William T. Hillman Collection

Hello, I am seeking any information about these 3 Scottish photos,  The seller states that they "came with a group of later prints from original negatives by Hill and Adamson".

I assume those came from Thomas Annan.

Does anyone recognize these fine people?

Many thanks, David

Paul Laib moved to London from Hamburg at the end of the nineteenth century. For fifty years he worked as a fine art photographer from his studio in South Kensington, hired by artists to document their work. Using archive materials and pieces from the De Laszlo collection of Paul Laib negatives, this exhibition highlights the multifaceted relationship between photography, painting, sculpture and their practitioners. Through the lens of his niche vocation as contractor and creative in London's creative communities we see that an image of artwork can take many forms. 

Camera Obscured. The fine art photography of Paul Laib

Book Library Foyer, The Courtauld Institute of Art 

26 July-27 September 2017

http://courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/visit

Anthony Hamber's long out-of-print book 'A Higher Branch of the Art' (1996) which has been long out of print and rarely available on the secondhand market has been made available as a download by the author at Academia.com. The book can be downloaded here: https://www.academia.edu/33838583/Hamber_A_Higher_Branch_of_the_Art._1996..docx If you do not have an Academia account you will need to register for one. 

"A Higher Branch of the Art": Photographing the Fine Arts in England, 1839-1880
Anthony J Hamber
542 pages, 1996

As part of the Science Museum's Illuminating India season a new exhibition Illuminating India: Photography 1857-2017, will be an ambitious and unprecedented survey of the technological and cultural development of the medium in India, examining photography’s changing role in charting the recent history of the country. The other second exhibition in the series Illuminating India: 5000 Years of Science and Innovation, will celebrate India’s central role in the history of science and technology by exploring its influential contributions to subjects as diverse as space exploration, mathematics, communication and engineering.

Photography 1857-2017 is the first exhibition to trace an arc from the beginnings of photography in India in the mid-19th century to the present day, and pivots around 1857 and 1947: two key dates in India’s recent history.

Looking at those photographers who have been inspired by their own experience of the country, the exhibition explores evocative works from a roster of eminent international practitioners, from India’s first known photographer, Ahmad Ali Khan, to award-winning contemporary photographer Vasantha Yogananthan.

Arriving in India shortly after its invention in Britain in 1839, photography became a powerful tool in the hands of military men and colonial administrators in the drive to document and dominate the people, architecture and landscapes of the subcontinent. Western art history has tended to overlook the Indian photographers working contemporaneously with the first foreigners from the 1850s onwards. This exhibition aims to explore their work afresh in an international context as Indian art photography pioneer Marahaja Ram Singh II is exhibited alongside Samuel Bourne and the country’s first female photojournalist, Homai Vyarawalla, is shown with contemporary Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Drawing on exceptional loans from diverse international collections including the Royal Photographic Society Collection, some of which will be shown for the first time in the UK, the exhibition offers a visually sumptuous history of photography in India. From the very first fragile salt prints to the latest digital imagery, every iteration of the photographic medium will be on display. Photography 1857 –2017 reveals how illuminating a subject India has been for photographers across three centuries: and shows in turn how photography has illuminated India to the viewer, both as place, and as idea.

Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group, said: ‘India’s history and culture are built on a rich tradition of scientific thought and innovation. The stories we will be showcasing through this vibrant season not only shaped India but had global significance. By taking a global perspective on the development of science, technology and photography, we hope to engage new audiences and strengthen international relationships between British and Indian scholars and cultural institutions.’

An extraordinary series of public events will run during the Illuminating India season at the Science Museum, including film screenings, workshops, panel discussions and live performances. The full programme of events will be announced soon.

The Illuminating India events programme is presented in partnership with the Bagri Foundation. The Illuminating India season has additional support from The Helen Hamlyn Trust and The John S Cohen Foundation.

Illuminating India  
4 October 2017 to 31 March 2018
Free, ticketed

sciencemuseum.org.uk/indiaseason

@ScienceMuseum
#UKIndia2017

Image: top: Unidentified Woman of the Zenana, c.1870 (2012.04.0054-0028) © Trustees, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, City Palace, Jaipur; lower: Mitch Epstein, Shravanabelagola, Karnataka, India 1981, Courtesy of Galerie Thomas Zander, Köln

This exhibition, which mirrors, but is not the same as, the standout exhibition at PhotoLondon in May (seen below), celebrates the major gift of photographs from David Hurn’s private collection and marks the opening of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’s first gallery dedicated to photography. Throughout his career as a documentary photographer and member of Magnum Photos, Hurn has been an avid collector of photography. Remarkably, his unique approach to collecting focuses on the act of swapping.

The collection comprises approximately 700 photographs by leading 20^th and 21^st century photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eve Arnold, Sergio Larrain, Bill Brandt, Martine Franck, Bruce Davidson and Martin Parr, through to emerging photographers such as Bieke Depoorter, Clementine Schneidermann, and Newsha Tavakolian.

The exhibition presents a selection of works that reflect on Hurn’s own career and influences, his eye for a good photograph and the friendships he has developed with photographers along the way. Hurn has recent donated his collection to the museum as reported by BPH here.

Swaps: Photographs from the David Hurn Collection

National Museum Cardiff

30 September 2017 – 11 March 2018

https://museum.wales/cardiff/

Credit, top right  USA. Florida Keys. 1968. © Elliott Erwitt/Magnum Photos