Couple Seated, Woman Reading 1843 - 1847

"Couple Seated, Woman Reading" is a calotype photograph created by the partnership of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson between 1843 and 1847. The image features a couple posed in a casual, almost intimate setting, emphasizing the emerging role of photography in capturing everyday life. The woman is positioned front and center, engaged in reading, while the man sits beside her, observing. This composition highlights the subtle interplay between the two figures, emphasizing the woman's focus on intellectual pursuits and the man's affectionate gaze. This influential work, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the artistic potential of the calotype process in depicting human relationships.