P. H. Emerson and the Experience of Vision

Abstract

P. H. Emerson was a doctor-turned-photographer who quickly gained acclaim in the 1880s, but who turned against his principles in the next decade. Emerson promoted his style of Pictorialism, known as Naturalism, which held that art photographs should be founded on scientific principles and be inspired by nature. Using the historical method, this study examines Emerson’s principles and argues Emerson abandoned his belief in photography as an art form for a variety of reasons, including his display of self-importance. His contribution is in promoting straight photography—unmanipulated, single-negative printing—even if he occasionally violated his own principles.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 Newhall was likely referring to the London Camera Club.

2 An example is visible at England’s National Gallery. www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/john-constable-the-hay-wain.

3 Examples can be found at the Tate Museum’s website: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1041942/men-loading-a-barge-on-drawing-constable-john-ra/; and https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/constable-the-valley-farm-n00327.

4 The author of Emerson’s biography in this family genealogy is identified only as “A. A.” This is likely referring to his wife, whose name was Edith Amy Ainsworth, yet she went by Amy. There is debate whether she wrote it and only sourced his stories to her, or if he wrote it but put it under her A. A. to suggest she wrote it.

5 For reference, Life and Landscape on the Norfolk Broads, based on the costs of the two versions released in 1886, would sell for approximately $830 and $1,400 in today’s American currency. Both now and then, books like Emerson’s were affordable by only a small number of interested people. It would have taken 3–5 months for typical East Anglian workers to purchase one of these books if all of their income went for purchasing one. For more information on printing technologies and costs, see John Taylor’s The Old Order and the New: P. H. Emerson and Photography, 1885–1895.

6 Emerson did write “focussing,” not the “focusing” that is commonplace.

7 This section of the book is unpaginated, so no page numbers are provided.

8 Nancy Newhall documented Emerson’s letters to Stieglitz in her book.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Faculty Development Program as part of a sabbatical.

Notes on contributors

Timothy Roy Gleason

Timothy Roy Gleason is a distinguished professor and chair of journalism at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

E-mail: [email protected]