[Man] 1843 - 1847

This is a calotype photograph, made by Hill and Adamson between 1843 and 1848. The calotype was an early photographic process, using paper coated with silver iodide. This made for a somewhat blurry effect – quite different than the sharp images we are used to today. Now, consider the social context here. Photography in the 1840s was not like it is today. It was complex, experimental, and expensive. As such, the people who appear in these early photographs tend to be of a certain class. Note the man’s coat, his tie, and the book he holds – these are all markers of status and erudition. Photographs like this one offer a glimpse into a particular moment in history, when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and the modern world was beginning to take shape. By attending to the materiality and making of this calotype, we can better understand its cultural significance.