Gezicht op Tarbet en Loch Lomond in Schotland c. 1870 - 1886

This photograph of Tarbet and Loch Lomond in Scotland was made by James Valentine, who lived from 1815 to 1880. It’s a silver print, likely made using the albumen process, which was popular in the mid-19th century. The process involves coating paper with egg white and then a silver nitrate solution, making it sensitive to light. This method allowed for finely detailed images, but also required long exposure times, meaning the subject had to be still. The tones in the photograph range from warm sepia to cool grey. Valentine was a prolific commercial photographer, catering to the Victorian taste for scenic views. The rise of photography coincided with the expansion of tourism, and photographs like this one helped to promote Scotland as a destination. This image offered a romanticized view of the landscape, carefully composed to appeal to a wide audience. So, when considering this image, it’s important to remember that it is not just a record of a place, but also a commodity, produced and consumed within a burgeoning tourist economy.