Loch Katrine Pier, Scene of the Lady of the Lake 1844

This photograph of Loch Katrine Pier was made by William Henry Fox Talbot using the calotype process, one of the earliest forms of photography. The calotype was revolutionary because it created a negative image on paper, allowing for multiple prints. The materiality of the paper is crucial here. You can see its texture subtly imprinted on the image, giving it a soft, almost painterly quality. The tones range from sepia to brown, and the final print was created through a series of chemical reactions, which are as much a part of the image as the scene itself. Talbot’s process depended on both scientific knowledge and skilled handwork. He was part of a generation that saw technology not as separate from art, but integral to it. This photograph invites us to consider how new methods of production shape our understanding of landscape, and, ultimately, of art itself.