Gezicht op Saint Salvator's College en Saint Salvator's Chapel in Saint Andrews before 1876

Here we see a photograph of Saint Salvator's College and Chapel in Saint Andrews, taken by Thomas Rodger, a Scottish photographer who lived from 1833 to 1883. Rodger's work gives us a glimpse into 19th-century Scotland, during a time of rapid industrialization and social change. Photography itself was evolving, becoming more accessible and playing a crucial role in documenting landscapes and architecture. In this image, the buildings embody institutional power and history. We see Saint Salvator's, a symbol of education and religious authority, yet there is a tension here. The photograph is included in a book, open at a page of poetry, immediately juxtaposing visual and textual modes of representation and knowledge production. The choice of the poem invites one to question the values and beliefs of the Scottish academic elite during this era.