Talk to Edinburgh University - Celtic and Scottish Studies

Engravings

Before photography, there was painting, sketching, etching and engraving. Engravings were used in newspapers such as the 'Illustrated London News' and in books; first wood engravings, then metal engravings.
Here is an engraving from the book, 'Modern Athens', published in 1829 - ten years before the discovery of photography was announced.
This book included black and white engravings, but many copies of the book have been bought then 'broken up' so that the individual engravings could be removed, hand tinted (as in the examples below) then sold individually, framed in cardboard mounts, perhaps for about £0 each.

1829

Edinburgh Old Town and North Bridge - from Princes Street

© Copyright: For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Ian Smith
Here is a rather romantic view of Edinburgh from the same book.
Interest has been added by including two soldiers and two Newhaven fishwives in the foreground.
Edinburgh Castle - view from below Ramsay Garden, the Mound

© Copyright: For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk
1890

Even fifty years after the discovery of photography was announced, engravings were being used in books such as 'Old and New Edinburgh', published in 1890.

© Reproduced by courtesy of Jenny Parkerson
- There is a lot of action throughout the view of Granton Harbour below. All the components have been included and positioned in a way that might not have been so easily achieved with photography.
Granton Harbour

© For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

© For permission to reproduce, please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk

___________________________________

Until fairly recently, it was generally accepted that photography began around 1839. However, there were experiments by a few individuals in earlier years.

However, experiments by both Wedgewood and Niépce are now thought to have played an important part in the history of photography.

The main problem initially for photography was not in being able to create the image, but in being able to find a way to 'fix' it so that it would not fade when exposed to light.

Wedgwood

Thomas Wedgwood (1778-1829) was born into a family of pottery manufacturers from Staffordshire, England.

In the early 1790s, he attempted to print photographs on materials including ceramic, glass, paper and white leather, believing that if he could produce photos, these could be useful in his education of young people.

Niépce

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1765-1833) was son of a wealthy lawyer. He served in the French army under Napoleon, then became Administrator of the district of Nice.

From 1795, he devoted his life to scientific research. With his brother, Claude, he invented and patented then developed what was probably the world's first internal combustion engine.

He experimented with photography in the mid-1820s. The earliest of his photos to survive is view of rooftops from his window. It was an 8-hour exposure taken in 1826. This was on pewter, coated with bitumen disolved in lavender oil.

___________________________________

Photography

Talbot and Daguerre

1839

Talbot

William Henry Fox Talbot:
was born in 1800 in Dorset.
was a member of Astronomical Society and Royal Society in London.
became a Member of Parliament.
studied classics and mathematics at Cambridge.
was a biblical scholar, botanist and helped to decipher cuneiform script.
knew Herschel and Brewster.
developed an interest in photography while sketching with camera lucida.
started experimenting with photography in 1834.
'Hair down, Collar up'

   ©

'Hair up, Collar down'

   ©

Both photographs above were taken by Ivan Szabo. They are reproduced
from the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television collection,
by courtesy of the Science and Society Picture Library.   Click here for link to web site.

Daguerre
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre:
was born in 1787 in France
was a painter who designed diorama scenes for the theatre
partnered Nicéphore Niépce, and experimented with photography
continued experimenting with photography after Niépce's death in 1833.
© Reproduced by courtesy of Edinburgh Photographic Society

Photography Announced

Events of 1839**

Daguerre announced his discovery in early 1839.
Talbot responded almost immediately, announcing his discovery.
In fact, the two methods were entirely different
Daguerre had discovered a way of creating a single image on metal.
Talbot had discovered a way of creating multiple images on paper.
** 1839 has generally regarded as the beginning of photography, though recent research suggests that Niépce probably deserves to have been given more credit for its discovery. See Nicephore Niépce House Museum web site.

The Latticed Window (Talbot)

A print from the oldest photographic negative in existence

© Reproduced from the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television collection,
by courtesy of the Science and Society Picture Library.

Edinburgh

Both Daguerre and Talbot had connections with Edinburgh, particularly Talbot.

Daguerre painted stage scenes. Here is one of Holyrood Palace:
I've not found any evidence that he ever came to Edinburgh.

Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh (Daguerre)

An oil painting

© Reproduced by courtesy of The Board of Trustees of the National Museums & Galleries
on Merseyside (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool)

Talbot visited Edinburgh in the early 1840s to take photographs for his book 'Sun Pictures of Scotland', published in 1845.
Talbot lived in Edinburgh for 10 years from 1855, but by that time he had moved on from his initial interest for photography and was taking more interest in engraving processes
Talbot was one of six prominent photographers elected as Honorary Members of Edinburgh Photographic Society in 1862. Did he attend any of the society's meetings?

_________________________________

Reaction in Edinburgh