Alexander Rutherford, William Ramsay, and John Liston, Newhaven c. 1843 - 1916

Editor: Here we have a print from the mid-19th century called "Alexander Rutherford, William Ramsay, and John Liston, Newhaven," by David Octavius Hill, held at The Art Institute of Chicago. It's a wonderful old photograph of three men. I'm really drawn to the composition—they look so relaxed, but the photo itself feels so formal. What do you see in this piece, more broadly speaking? Curator: Well, immediately I feel drawn into their world, into the everyday lives of these… dare I say, salty characters! The slightly sepia tone adds such an atmosphere, doesn’t it? But there is an evident interplay between relaxed posing and their conscious positioning for the shot. I find myself pondering how often such ordinary folk were captured at this point in time. Do you sense a tension there too? Editor: Definitely. They’re working men, but there's a clear effort to present themselves well. That gentleman in the top hat, especially—such jaunty confidence! Curator: Jaunty indeed! And what stories they could tell, eh? Consider that this was photography's infancy, how new it must have all felt. The sitter’s gaze isn't quite at the camera in a modern way— perhaps some are shy of this new contraption? It also speaks of Romanticism; celebrating the common man in an elevated, dignified style, capturing something seemingly timeless. Makes you wonder about all the unseen stories, doesn't it? Editor: It really does. I hadn’t thought about how novel the whole photography process would’ve been back then. That adds another layer of meaning. Curator: Exactly. And for me, that whisper of forgotten narratives, found in something as simple as a slightly crooked hat or knowing glance, that’s the magic of art. Editor: Absolutely! I'm glad that those untold stories from this time and captured. Curator: And captured beautifully by this artist.