Untitled (clockwise from top left, Broad Walk, Christ Church College; Addison's Walk, Magdalen College; Lime Walk, Trinity College; Magdalen College Tower; Oxford from Tower of St. Mary's; Interior of Hall, Christ Church College; Radcliffe; River from Folly Bridge; verso: photograph of drawing of Archdeacon Denison; Dr. Lightfoot of Exeter; Professor Jowett, and Dr. Jacobson. Figures in drawing are named in Greek, the key is inscribed below.) 1864 - 1871

Curator: This fascinating album page by Iorwerth Grey Lloyd compiles various photographic views of Oxford. Editor: It feels like stepping into a sepia dream, a memory box of collegiate life! Curator: Exactly. Note how Lloyd juxtaposes architectural landmarks with the natural landscape. The material qualities of the albumen prints, their warm tones, emphasize the tactile nature of the print-making process. Editor: I get a sense of order, and a certain melancholic beauty in these curated scenes. Did these pictures serve a purpose beyond aesthetics? Curator: Undoubtedly. Photography was transforming the way institutions like Oxford presented themselves, shaping their public image and boosting tourism. This album shows more than picturesque scenes; it showcases Oxford as a site of tradition, knowledge, and power. Editor: I suppose these are more than snapshots—they are artifacts that capture a particular vision of a time and place. Curator: Precisely. It reveals the intersection of art, technology, and social constructs. Editor: It’s more than just beautiful photographs but also about how these images were designed to be seen and what meanings they were made to convey.