Melrose Abbey 1844

"Melrose Abbey" is a calotype photograph taken by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1844. This photo depicts an intricately carved stone archway of Melrose Abbey, a 14th century abbey in Scotland, which serves as a gateway into the grounds. Talbot, a pioneer of photography, utilized the calotype process to capture the architectural detail with remarkable clarity for its time. This early photograph is an important example of Talbot's contributions to the development of photography and is held in The Art Institute of Chicago.