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UK: The old gardener Simpson….and his wife – 1854

The folded arms of the gardener, Simpson, and the clasped hands of his wife make the sitters look impatient

By George Washington Wilson
National Portrait Gallery, London
albumen print, 1854

Wilson was invited to photograph the royal estate at Balmoral in 1854, where he produced portraits of the royal family and household. Shown frankly and with affectionate humour, portraits such as this offer a unique window into the life of the estate. The folded arms of the gardener, Simpson, and the clasped hands of his wife make the sitters look impatient; more probably, given the long exposure times necessary to make such a picture, they were intended to minimise blur. The layer of egg white solution (albumen) on the paper gives a smooth surface that produces a highly-detailed image.

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