[Charlie and Peel Ross with Horse after a Hunt] 1856 - 1859

This is an albumen silver print of ‘Charlie and Peel Ross with Horse after a Hunt’ by Horatio Ross. Ross, born in 1801, was a Scottish sportsman, politician, and early photographer, active in a period of significant social and technological change. In this photograph we see a staged presentation of the landed gentry; the estate owner or his children, and their spoils. The boys’ identity and class position are on display; hunting was not just a sport, but a demonstration of their privileged status and connection to the land. The image is also about intimacy, the family and their horse. Ross, who was from a privileged background, used photography to document and perhaps idealize his way of life. The emotional resonance of this image lies in its candid portrayal of childhood and the natural world, though this naturalness is carefully constructed through the lens. It captures a moment that is both personal and reflective of broader societal structures.