On display

The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey

Photograph
2010 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Floris Neusüss (German, born Lennep, 1937) has dedicated his whole career to extending the practice, study and teaching of 'camera-less', photogram, and experimental photography. The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey, is among a series of pieces paying tribute to nineteenth-century pioneers of photography. The subject of the window at Lacock Abbey holds a special place in the history of photography because it is the place where, in 1835, Talbot created the first photographic negative. Talbot's Latticed Window has come to represent the genesis of photographic seeing. Like a prophetic window, it anticipated the notion that camera-made photographs are often perceived as windows on the world. This was an appropriate motif to herald a new medium that would prompt deeper questions concerning visual and philosophical perception.

Knowing of the resonance of the place, and the philosophical implications of the window image, Neusüss covered the interior of the window with photographic paper at night. He exposed the paper by shining a light from outside. The resulting photogram recreates the subject of Talbot's negative, but in life size. The work is based on the idea of continuing the trajectory of Fox Talbot's camera-less photogram techniques (which he continued to use even after his discovery of the negative) and extending them to the images which - because of limitations in technology or personal inclination - Talbot was unable to capture himself. Rendered in modern colour materials Neusüss's work is a visual and conceptual response to the iconic window.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleThe Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Dye destruction print photogram
Brief description
Photogram of a latticed window, ''The Latticed Window'' by Floris Neusüss in collaboration with Renate Hayne, 2010.
Physical description
Colour photograph of the lattice window at Lacock Abbey
Dimensions
  • Frame height: 322cm
  • Frame length: 277cm
Gallery label
  • Cameraless Photography Floris Neusüss and Renate Heyne (born 1937 and 1947) The Latticed Window 2010 Dye destruction prints 322 x 277 cm Museum no. E.462-2011 This window at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire, was the subject of the very first photographic negative, made by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1835. After covering the interior of the window with photographic paper at night, Neusüss and Heyne then exposed the paper by shining a light from outside. The resulting photogram recreates the subject of Talbot’s original small negative, but life size.
  • FLORIS NEUSÜSS born 1937 The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey 2010 This window at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire, was the subject of the very first photographic negative, made by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1835. After covering the interior of the window with photographic paper at night, Neusüss then exposed the paper by shining a light from outside. The resulting 'camera-less' photograph, or photogram, recreates the subject of Talbot's original small negative, but life size. Dye destruction print photograms Made in collaboration with Renate Heyne This piece was commissioned for the Shadow Catchers: Camera-less Photography exhibition at the V&A (2010) Museum no. E.462-2011 (13 October 2010 - 20 February 2011)
Summary
Floris Neusüss (German, born Lennep, 1937) has dedicated his whole career to extending the practice, study and teaching of 'camera-less', photogram, and experimental photography. The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey, is among a series of pieces paying tribute to nineteenth-century pioneers of photography. The subject of the window at Lacock Abbey holds a special place in the history of photography because it is the place where, in 1835, Talbot created the first photographic negative. Talbot's Latticed Window has come to represent the genesis of photographic seeing. Like a prophetic window, it anticipated the notion that camera-made photographs are often perceived as windows on the world. This was an appropriate motif to herald a new medium that would prompt deeper questions concerning visual and philosophical perception.

Knowing of the resonance of the place, and the philosophical implications of the window image, Neusüss covered the interior of the window with photographic paper at night. He exposed the paper by shining a light from outside. The resulting photogram recreates the subject of Talbot's negative, but in life size. The work is based on the idea of continuing the trajectory of Fox Talbot's camera-less photogram techniques (which he continued to use even after his discovery of the negative) and extending them to the images which - because of limitations in technology or personal inclination - Talbot was unable to capture himself. Rendered in modern colour materials Neusüss's work is a visual and conceptual response to the iconic window.
Collection
Accession number
E.462-2011

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Record createdAugust 16, 2011
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