The Misses McCandlish 1843 - 1847

Curator: The Metropolitan Museum of Art is home to "The Misses McCandlish", a remarkable photograph created between 1843 and 1847 by the pioneering Scottish duo, David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson. Editor: It’s incredibly soft. I mean the sepia tone, the shallow depth of field...it evokes a hazy memory more than a sharply defined portrait. Almost like a pre-Raphaelite painting! Curator: That softness comes from the calotype process, a very early form of photography. Its significance extends beyond aesthetics; Hill and Adamson aimed to document Scottish society, including the influential families that shaped it. These were the daughters of a prominent Edinburgh solicitor. Editor: Note the arrangement. One sister appears to be resting or asleep. And observe the contrast between her languid posture and the alert, almost confrontational gaze of the other sister; it divides the composition, suggesting differing internal states. It really pulls you in. Curator: The image hints at the constructed nature of Victorian portraiture even in this relatively new medium. Consider the poses, carefully considered, perhaps designed to project a particular image of feminine virtue and gentility. And to promote the parents' status. Editor: Yes, you’re right, the elements coalesce: the basket of flowers implying delicacy, the draped shawl indicating prosperity... but despite all of this construction, there's an undeniably intimate quality here too. Perhaps revealed unintentionally? Curator: Indeed! The photograph provides valuable insight into the socio-cultural milieu of 19th-century Scotland and also reveals the dynamics of early photographic practices and the negotiations involved. A fascinating social commentary through imagery. Editor: Ultimately the visual impact is in the delicate tonality and asymmetrical composition and that slight atmospheric blurring gives this photo a timeless almost otherworldly aura. What an evocative photograph!