Uitlopers van Bagley Wood te Oxfordshire en een gezicht op South Hinksey before 1912

Here we see two photographs by Henry Taunt, taken in Oxfordshire in the late 19th century. As a photographer, publisher, and seller, Taunt ran a business, producing and selling countless images of the Upper Thames region. Photography was a relatively new medium at this time, rapidly evolving from specialized, costly studio work to a widespread, accessible practice. Taunt mastered the wet collodion process, which required coating a glass plate with chemicals, exposing it in the camera while still wet, and then developing it immediately. This labor-intensive technique demanded both speed and precision, and the resulting glass negatives could be used to make multiple prints on paper. These images, likely made as part of a commercial venture, reflect the growing market for picturesque views and topographical documentation. Yet, they also provide insight into the changing landscape and social life of Victorian England. In them, we can see the intersection of art, industry, and everyday life that photography so powerfully represents.