Rev. Dr David Welsh, 1793 - 1845. Professor of Church History at Edinburgh University; Professor of Divinity at New College, Edinburgh; Moderator...
About this artwork
As the moderator of the General Assembly, it was David Welsh who laid the protest on the table of the meeting, triggering the 1843 disruption and subsequent creation of the Free Church of Scotland. A seminal moment in the history of the Scottish Church, David Octavius Hill proposed the creation of a monumental painting to mark the event and it was suggested to him that he use calotype photography to capture the likeness of the participants. Therefore it was also a seminal moment in the history of photography, leading to Hills partnership with Robert Adamson.
Updated before 2020
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artists:
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title:Rev. Dr David Welsh, 1793 - 1845. Professor of Church History at Edinburgh University; Professor of Divinity at New College, Edinburgh; Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1843 [a]
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date created:1843 - 1847
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materials:Salted paper print
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measurements:14.00 x 11.50 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Bequeathed by James Brownlee Hunter, 1928
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accession number:PGP HA 2645
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gallery:
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depicted:
Robert Adamson
Robert Adamson
Robert Adamson was one of the first professional photographers, setting up in business in Edinburgh in March 1843. He had aspired to be an engineer but his health was too poor. His brother, John, who was involved in the early experiments with photography in St Andrews, taught him the calotype...