[Francis Danby] 1860s

Curator: Up next we have a portrait of Francis Danby, captured by John and Charles Watkins in the 1860s. It’s a gelatin silver print. Editor: The tonal range is so soft, almost ethereal. It makes the sitter seem quite detached, lost in thought perhaps. The subdued palette definitely heightens the contemplative mood. Curator: The romanticism is very evocative, I agree. Watkins were leading photographers who benefitted greatly from their celebrity client base at that time. I think photography then was actively courting the high arts and was influenced a lot by painting and romantic art movements like the Pre-Raphaelites. Editor: True, photography was self-consciously seeking validation. Notice the limited depth of field – the eyes are the focal point, everything else softly dissolving. It's definitely about the psychology and inner life rather than a mere recording. Curator: Yes, it's very deliberate. This photographic print is less about a straightforward depiction and more an idealised version. It's important to consider the sitters too, with that flowing white beard and loose hair. All these visual decisions create a link between the man and how painters portray the image of venerable patriarch. Editor: The slightly blurred edges add to this dreamlike feeling. He’s presented almost as a visionary. Think about the role celebrity played at that time, and what this portrayal would have signalled to Victorian viewers about his status, as someone learned and admirable. Curator: It's a very telling portrayal of the relationship between art, fame, and the emergence of photographic techniques. It captures so much of that Victorian idealisation of public figures. Editor: It really shows photography establishing itself, consciously crafting not just images but public personas too. Very fascinating.