National Museum of Scotland
Photography: A Victorian Sensation
19 June – 22 November 2015
Gathering Water Lilies by Peter Harry Emerson, 1886, platinum print. Image © National Museums Scotland
Meet the pioneers of photography and discover how the Victorian craze for the photograph transformed the way we capture images today, and mirrors our own modern-day fascination for recording the world around us.
From the cross-channel competition between photographic trailblazers Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot, to the world of the 1851 Great Exhibition and some of the world’s first stereophotographs, the exhibition encompasses the development of photography from 1839 to the 1900’s. Discover the fascinating stories of the people behind the pictures, including Hill and Adamson’s beautiful images of Victorian Edinburgh, and get swept up in the collecting craze of the carte-de-visite.
Through images and apparatus which illustrate the changing techniques used by photographers and studios during the 19th century, Photography: A Victorian Sensation traces photography’s evolution from a scientific art practised by a few wealthy individuals to a widely accessible global phenomenon available on an industrial scale. Featuring around 1,500 photographs, from iconic images to quirky Victorian humour, the exhibition explores the remarkable stories of the people both in front of and behind the camera.
Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm
Adults £10/£8; Child £6.50 (under 12s free)
National Museum of Scotland
Masters of Japanese Porcelain
6 March – 30 August 2015
The late 19th century was a time of great upheaval and innovation for artists in Japan, with a reordering of the social structure disrupting established patterns of patronage and artistic production, and currents from the outside world inspiring new directions.
In 1890 the Japanese government instigated the Imperial Household Artists system to recognise and support mature artists who had achieved a level of success and renown within their respective crafts. These figures were intended to set the bar for the quality expected of other artists, and also to supply pieces to the imperial court.
The first ceramic artist to be appointed, in 1893, was Seifū Yohei III (1851–1914). He was joined three years later by Miyagawa Kōzan (1842–1916). In 1917, after the death of these two ceramic greats, both Itō Tōzan I (1846–1920) and Suwa Sozan I (1851–1922) were appointed.
Though based in different areas of Japan, all four men worked primarily in porcelain and were striving to adapt their art to the new ceramic technologies and aesthetic demands of the era. Their most prestigious creations were grand and impressive presentation pieces for the court, but they were also capable of small-scale works for humble enjoyment.
The exhibition will highlight the generous donation of a large group of Japanese and Chinese ceramics by David and Anne Hyatt King, formed over half a century.
Supported by the Art Fund.
Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm