William Henry Fox Talbot

The story

Talbot experimented with photogenic drawings on paper before developing the calotype. His negative-positive system allowed multiple images to be produced from one original. Architecture, domestic objects and plant specimens became subjects for experiment and reflection. With The Pencil of Nature, he also explored the place of photographs in books: the technique opened a new way of describing and transmitting the world.

Understanding the work

Compare contact impressions with views made using a camera. Paper brings a texture and softness that contribute to the form rather than simply constituting flaws.

Key works and series

The Pencil of Nature; views of Lacock Abbey; photogenic drawings.

Sources & further exploration

• The Met — William Henry Fox Talbot and the invention of photography ↗