EPS - 1876 Open Exhibition

EPS - 1876 Open Exhibition

Background

Exhibition Suggested

Discussions of holding a major exhibition in Edinburgh in the winter of 1875-76 began in November 1875 when Alex Asher presented his paper to the Society. His paper was titled:

"Exhibitions - a Stimulus to Advance True Progress in Photography"

On 4 October 1876, a paper was presented by WH Davies. The title was:

"What should be done to make the Exhibition a Success?"

WH Davies proposed that the exhibition should be made sufficiently extensive, varied and attractive to be worthy of the attention of the general public. He also spoke of the need to ensure that the exhibition was a financial success.

To ensure the financial success, the EPS Council established a guaranteed fund and recommended that EPS Members subscribe to this fund.

Royal Scottish Academy

Enthusiasm and determination of the organisers increased when the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury agreed to grant the use of the Royal Scottish Academy National Galleries for the exhibition.

No charge was made for use of the Galleries.

The Gallery was over 200 ft in length, and included five octagonal rooms, in three of which tables were placed to show apparatus, chemicals and appliances.

The Exhibition is Advertised

WH Davies suggested that the exhibition must be made sufficiently extensive, varied and attractive to be worthy of the attention of the general public. It was also important that the exhibition should be a financial success.

Dr Nicol and Mr Dobbie reported to this Meeting that they had broadcast information about the exhibition:

"... by the issuing of copies of the circular formerly submitted to the Society. Copies had been posted to nearly every photographer in Britain, America, India and the colonies, while the continent had also, so far as practicable been attended to."

Following a suggestion by Mr Davies, it was agreed to set up a small committee to endeavour to collect as many specimens of earlier processes as possible.

[BJP: 13 October 1876; p.490]

The Opening

Six hundred ladies and gentlemen were invited to the Opening of the Exhibition on 20 December 1876. The exhibition was opened by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir James Falshaw.

The Lord Provost:

"assured those present that such a fine collection of photographic pictures had never before been brought together in Great Britain - an opinion which was endorsed by many visitors present who had seen nearly all the collections made, not only at home, but also abroad including that recently closed at Philadelphia."

[BJP: 29 December 1876; p.616]

Items Exhibited

The British Journal of Photography reported [29 Dec 1876, p.621] that the exhibition completely occupied the Academy's rooms, and that nearly every civilised country was more or less adequately represented:

Professor Piazzi Smyth, the Astronomer Royal, exhibited the original camera with which he photographed inside the pyramids, and his cloud camera fitted with a plano-concave converter to remove spherical distortion. He also provided some of his photographic studies of sunlit cloud.

Messrs Ross & Pringle exhibited a complete set of their daguerreotype apparatus

Two volumes of portraits by Hill & Adamson, and several other books were displayed.

[BJP: 29 December 1876; p.616]

Photographs

There were 1,135 entries in the Exhibition Catalogue, and over 3,000 photographs, excluding the cartes de visite, from 200 photographers.

Amongst the prominent photographers exhibiting, there were:

- HP Robinson, Tunbridge Wells - several composition groups

- Vernon Heath, London - several enlarged landscapes

- Mrs Cameron, Isle of Wight - Rembrantesque photographs effectiveness

- John Pouncy, Dorchester - early carbon prints

- Annan, Glasgow (portraits of professors)

- GW Wilson, Aberdeen - views

- Mr Valentine, Dundee - views

- Thomas Annan, Glasgow - views

Edinburgh photographers exhibiting included:

- John Annan (views around Edinburgh)

- A Asher (portraits and reproductions from engravings)

- EW Dallas (portraits)

- DO Hill (calotypes)

- John Horsburgh (Prince Consort Memorial Ceremony)

- J Howie Jun. (portraits)

- Kyles & Moir (portraits in oils enlarged from cartes de visite)

- P Low (portraits)

- Mr Mathieson (architecture and landscape)

- John Moffat (portraits of public men)

- RJ Muir, Amateur (landscape)

- Alexander Nicol

- George A Panton, VP of EPS, Amateur - (landscapes)

- Capt. Horatio Ross, Veteran amateur (hunting scenes)

- William Neilson (portraits)

- Ross & Pringle (portraits including Noel Paton and Kenneth MacLeay)

- Charles Piazzi Smyth, Amateur (cloud studies)

- Mr Turnbull (architecture)

- ER Yerbury (portrait in carbon and views)

[BJP: 29 Dec 1876, pp.621-2 and Jan 1877; pp.312,19,45]

EPS Open Exhibitions

1861 1863 1872 1873 1876 1890 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 Feb_1902 Nov_1902 1903 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1923 1924 1926 1928 1931 1937 1939 1940 1942 1945 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1961 1962 1963 1969 1981 1990s 1995 Photos 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Catalogues: from 1987 Posters: from 2001

Countries: A-G H-Q R-Z All by year

Medals and Ribbons awarded: 1994- 2004

Judges/Selectors: 1861-1910 1911-40 1941-60 1961-80 1981-

EPS Members' Exhibitions

1882 1885 1889 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1898 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1920 1922 1939 1940 1941 2004 2005 2006

Judges/Selectors: 1861-1910 1911-1960 1961- Trophies

Exhibition Rules 1891