Portret van Roderick Murchison before 1868

This is a photograph of Roderick Murchison, made in England by Ernest Edwards. It belongs to an album, probably a family album, which suggests the photograph was made for private rather than public consumption. In the 19th century, photography occupied an interesting place within the art world; positioned between fine art and documentation, it was shaped by the aesthetic conventions of painting, but also offered new ways of capturing the spirit of the age. As such, photographs of the rich and famous were in high demand. Murchison was a Scottish geologist who made important contributions to the study of both British and European geology. What might have been Edwards's motivation to create this image? And what did Edwards, as a photographer, have to gain from associating himself with Murchison's fame and scientific authority? These are the kinds of questions a historian might ask. Answers can be found in libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions. Only through a historical understanding of its context can the photograph be fully understood and appreciated.