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In the Haysel

Photograph
1888 (made), 1890 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In 1889 Emerson published his controversial book Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art without images. Naturalistic Photography examined his purist approach to photography, derived from his fascination with Naturalism in art, and attacked the prevailing artificial aesthetic in art photography. After its publication Emerson felt that his opponents had misunderstood his ideas. So, in 1890 he selected 10 plates from his book Pictures of East Anglian Life (1888) that best illustrated his theories, and presented them loose in a portfolio dedicated to the ‘photographic student’, with the same title and cover of the book. He then donated copies of this portfolio to every photographic society in the country.

According to Emerson, to record the effects of nature, photographers should use the ‘selective focus’ method. He explains, ‘The principal object in the picture must be … just as sharp as the eye sees it, and no sharper; but everything else … must be subdued’. The result, apparent in his treatment of the wispy hay on the cart, might be considered a photographic equivalent of an Impressionist painting.


Object details

Category
Object type
Titles
  • In the Haysel (assigned by artist)
  • Pictures of East Anglian Life (series title)
Materials and techniques
photogravure
Brief description
Photograph, 'In the Haysel', by Peter Henry Emerson, photogravure, Plate 1, from the 'Pictures of East Anglian Life' portfolio, 1890
Physical description
A mounted black and white photograph a man and a horse
Dimensions
  • Image height: 28.2cm
  • Image width: 33.7cm
  • Paper height: 34cm
  • Paper width: 42.2cm
Credit line
Found In Department
Object history
A portfolio containing 10 India proofs taken from the eponymous book (1888, 32 photogravures), published as a companion to his other book 'Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art' (1889). With preface and Notes to the Student in the inside cover of the portfolio folder. Gift of the photographer 1890, transferred from the Print Collection, 1896; this image was the frontispiece of the bound book
Summary
In 1889 Emerson published his controversial book Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art without images. Naturalistic Photography examined his purist approach to photography, derived from his fascination with Naturalism in art, and attacked the prevailing artificial aesthetic in art photography. After its publication Emerson felt that his opponents had misunderstood his ideas. So, in 1890 he selected 10 plates from his book Pictures of East Anglian Life (1888) that best illustrated his theories, and presented them loose in a portfolio dedicated to the ‘photographic student’, with the same title and cover of the book. He then donated copies of this portfolio to every photographic society in the country.

According to Emerson, to record the effects of nature, photographers should use the ‘selective focus’ method. He explains, ‘The principal object in the picture must be … just as sharp as the eye sees it, and no sharper; but everything else … must be subdued’. The result, apparent in his treatment of the wispy hay on the cart, might be considered a photographic equivalent of an Impressionist painting.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
John Taylor The old order and the new: P H Emerson and photography, 1885-1895 Munich; New York; London: Prestel, 2006. 160p.: ill (some col). ISBN: 3791336991 / 9783791336992.
Collection
Accession number
E.1959-1990

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2009
Record URL
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