Caerhûn 1859

This stereoscopic photograph of Caerhûn in Wales was produced by Roger Fenton, and published by Lovell Reeve. Stereoscopy was a popular mid-Victorian form of entertainment, and commercial images allowed people to 'visit' faraway lands, without ever leaving their homes. Fenton, one of the founders of the Royal Photographic Society, was a leading figure of this time. He is known for his war photography, documenting the Crimean War, and also for his landscape and architectural photography. This seemingly neutral landscape photograph also reflects something of the imperialist desires of Britain at the time. Considered alongside Fenton’s images from abroad, this view of the Welsh countryside underscores the way that the domestic landscape became a terrain for exerting national pride. The RPS archives, as well as publications of the time, can help us better understand this image. By exploring such resources, we can reveal photography’s role in shaping British national identity.