George Anthony Hill (1842-1916) 1868 - 1870

Editor: Here we see a photograph of George Anthony Hill by William Notman. It's a mounted print, giving it a formal, almost official feel. What can you tell me about its historical context? Curator: Well, these photographs were often commissioned as markers of social status, especially in burgeoning urban centers. Notman’s studio, with branches across Canada, democratized portraiture but also codified visual expectations of class and respectability. Editor: So, the act of sitting for a portrait itself was a social statement? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the subject presents himself, and how Notman's studio helped to shape and distribute these images, reinforcing those ideas of status in the public sphere. Editor: That's a different way to think about portraiture, less about the individual and more about cultural forces. Curator: Exactly, and recognizing that helps us understand the power and influence of visual representation then and now.