A Summer's Evening, Penllergare 25 - 1854

Editor: John Dillwyn Llewelyn’s photograph, “A Summer's Evening, Penllergare,” created around 1854 using the gelatin-silver print method, has such a dreamy, almost hazy quality. It reminds me of a place both familiar and just out of reach, like a fond memory fading at the edges. What kind of stories do you think this work wants to tell us? Curator: Ah, stories nestled in silver… Llewelyn has captured not just a scene, but a mood, a quiet secret whispered on the breeze. This was early photography, still finding its voice amidst the art world's whispers. Notice how the water stills the reflection, like a mirror to another world? It invites reverie. Does the fog feel a little... otherworldly to you, too? Editor: Definitely otherworldly. It’s so atmospheric. It's also striking to see a boat gently resting in the water, inviting contemplation, maybe a chance to float away to a tranquil, romantic destination? Curator: Indeed. A tiny boat toward dream and freedom. In fact, this area was part of Llewelyn’s estate! He seems to immortalize this piece of land that holds many happy personal memories. Almost as if this photograph is like a physical version of the memory he treasures. Do you wonder about his state of mind during his stroll in the gardens when he composed the scene? Editor: Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way! It makes it feel even more personal, less like a general landscape and more like a glimpse into Llewelyn's life. It also makes the photograph have a kind of timeless quality to it. Curator: Precisely. It’s more than a pretty picture; it's a conversation, a silent poem composed of light and shadow. I find I am transported… how about you? Editor: I agree; it definitely shifts my perspective. I now see it less as just a romantic landscape and more as a deeply personal reflection.