Robert Adamson (photographer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Adamson, was a Scottish
pioneer photographer.
Adamson was born in St. Andrews, he was hired in 1843 by David Octavius Hill
(1802-1870), a painter of romantic Scottish landscapes. He was commissioned to make a group portrait of the 470 clergymen who founded the Free Church of Scotland
. Hill required calotype
s from which he would paint. Distinguished persons from many fields came to be photographed by the partners. Together they made more than 1,000 portraits and numerous views of Edinburgh
between 1843 and 1848, until Adamson died at the age of 26. Hill returned to painting and the partners' great work was not rediscovered until 1872.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
pioneer photographer.
Adamson was born in St. Andrews, he was hired in 1843 by David Octavius Hill
David Octavius Hill
The Scottish painter and arts activist David Octavius Hill collaborated with the engineer and photographer Robert Adamson between 1843 and 1847 to pioneer many aspects of photography in Scotland.-Early life:...
(1802-1870), a painter of romantic Scottish landscapes. He was commissioned to make a group portrait of the 470 clergymen who founded the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
. Hill required calotype
Calotype
Calotype or talbotype is an early photographic process introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox Talbot, using paper coated with silver iodide. The term calotype comes from the Greek for 'beautiful', and for 'impression'....
s from which he would paint. Distinguished persons from many fields came to be photographed by the partners. Together they made more than 1,000 portraits and numerous views of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
between 1843 and 1848, until Adamson died at the age of 26. Hill returned to painting and the partners' great work was not rediscovered until 1872.