The "Juno" in Tenby Harbour 1853 - 1856

John Dillwyn Llewelyn captured "The 'Juno' in Tenby Harbour" using photography, a medium that was then still in its relative infancy. As a member of the landed gentry in 19th-century Wales, Llewelyn was part of a social class that had the resources and leisure to explore new technologies. Against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, consider how this image embodies both progress and privilege. The steamship, a symbol of technological advancement, contrasts with the traditional sailing vessels, alluding to the tensions between old and new ways of life. The harbor is not just a site of commerce but also of leisure, with figures dotted along the pier, perhaps engaged in the act of watching, of witnessing the changing world around them. Llewelyn's choice of subject matter reflects his position in society, one of observing and documenting rather than directly participating in the labor that sustained it. The photograph serves as a visual record of a specific time and place, but also prompts us to reflect on the complex relationship between technology, social class, and the act of seeing.