Sir John Herschel c. 1867 - 1890

Julia Margaret Cameron created this portrait of Sir John Herschel using the wet collodion process, a photographic technique prominent in the mid-19th century. Cameron, working in England, often photographed prominent figures of her time. This image speaks to the Victorian era's fascination with science and the hero-worship of intellectuals. Herschel himself was a renowned astronomer and chemist. The soft focus, a hallmark of Cameron's style, was not always appreciated, some saw it as technically deficient. This aesthetic choice reflects a deliberate departure from the sharp detail prized in scientific illustration, it aligns the portrait with the artistic conventions of painting. Cameron was interested in photography as fine art. Understanding Cameron's work requires looking at the institutional history of photography: its emergence as both a scientific tool and an artistic medium. By consulting period writings on photography and art criticism, we can better understand the complex social dynamics that shaped Cameron's artistic choices and the reception of her work.