Robert Adamson & David Octavius Hill

Willie Liston, 'Redding [cleaning or preparing] the line'; Newhaven fisherman

About this artwork

This is one of about 120 calotypes by Hill and Adamson that document the life and work of the fishermen and fishwives of Newhaven, a fishing village to the north of Edinburgh. This dramatic portrait shows Willie Liston, a fisherman, at work ‘redding’, or preparing, the fishing line. This lengthy and painstaking job involved cleaning hundreds of hooks on the line and baiting them with mussels. The careful positioning of Liston in the sunlight has created a dark shadow across his face, which helps to focus attention on his working hands.

Updated before 2020

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Robert Adamson

Robert Adamson