[Man] 1843 - 1847

This calotype, made between 1843 and 1848 by Hill and Adamson, presents us with a sitter in an attitude of contained thoughtfulness. His hands, gently clasped, draw our eye. Consider this gesture – hands intertwined – echoing through epochs. We find it in ancient statuary, a symbol of contemplation, of inner dialogue. Yet, here, in this modern portrait, it takes on a new life. The individual, poised between tradition and modernity, finds himself in the act of self-reflection. Recall the figures in Renaissance paintings, their hands similarly clasped in prayer or solemn vow, reflecting the human capacity for profound emotional engagement. Here, in this photograph, the gesture is stripped of overt religiosity, internalized. It hints at a modern psyche, grappling with the complexities of existence. Through this image, we recognize not a linear progression but a cyclical return, a potent symbol of human experience.