[Man] 1843 - 1847

“[Man]” is a calotype photograph created by the Scottish partnership of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson in 1843-1847. It depicts an unidentified man in profile, seated, and dressed in the formal attire of the time. This striking portrait, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a remarkable example of early photographic practice and a testament to the artists’ pioneering work in the field. The use of calotype, an early photographic process, is evident in the image's soft focus and subtle tonal variations. Hill and Adamson’s work is considered a vital contribution to the history of photography.