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Bust of Patroclus

William Henry Fox Talbot

Artwork Details

Bust of Patroclus
1844
William Henry Fox Talbot
salted paper print
6 15/16 in x 6 15/16 in (17.6 cm x 17.6 cm);19 5/16 in x 14 5/16 in (49.05 cm x 36.35 cm);8 7/8 in x 7 5/16 in (22.5 cm x 18.6 cm);6 15/16 in x 6 15/16 in (17.62 cm x 17.62 cm)
Museum Purchase
1972/2.382

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Description

Subject Matter:

Centered in the middle of the frame, this photograph depicts a white statue of a man’s bust against a dark background. The Hellenistic bust is of a bearded man, his neck craned to the side, brow furrowed and gaze intent. Widely considered the father of positive-negative photography, William Henry Fox Talbot published this photo in the 1844 book, The Pencil of Nature, in which he presented photography’s usefulness and application towards a variety of subjects. With this photograph he describes how to achieve optimal results when photographing statuary. The bust is that of Patroclus, a classical character in Homer’s Illiad.  

Physical Description:

This photograph depicts a closeup view of a white sculptural bust of a bearded man. The bust is centered against a dark background. 

Usage Rights:

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