@carolinedouglas
Artist / Researcher Gender and Class in Early Photography in Scotland 2025 Fellow, Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine 2024 PhD Graduate, Royal College of Art, London www.carolinedouglasphotography.co.uk
A heartfelt thanks to staff and fellows for their engagement and encouragement in the development of this research @sciencehistory.org. 2/2 www.sciencehistory.org/research/fel...
I’m in the final few days of my 3 month fellowship at the Science History Institute, Philadelphia. I have been researching the work of the chemist Elizabeth Fulhame who began her photochemical studies in 1780 Edinburgh and by 1798 was a corresponding member of the Philadelphia Chemical Society.
The workshop will coincide with the exquisite work of Siân Davey. Davey's 'The Garden' is showing at Stills as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2025.
If you're in Edinburgh this summer, I am running the Darkroom Photography: Introduction to Colour Photography course at Stills Gallery. Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 August, 11am-5pm. A few places still left. More info here: stills.org/product/dark...
A heartfelt thanks to Pam Mendelsohn and the Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Humboldt Area Foundation. It is a privilege to work through Peter’s papers and to read his selected readings and writings on women in early photography.
a carboard box containing a paper filing system with women's names written on the top of each folder
Peter Palmquist’s (1936-2003) papers on women in photography are vast. This is the only occasion in my research where the figures I am studying have had their own categorised entry under ‘photography’. My only regret is to have not had the chance to speak to such a key historian of photography.
a nineteenth century text titled 'Retouching'
The grants were established by Peter’s lifetime companion, Pam Mendelsohn. Its remit is to support ‘the study of under-researched women photographers internationally and under-researched Western American photographers through The Great Depression’.
a photograph of the outside of the almost windowless Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale
In January I was honoured to be given the Peter E. Palmquist Memorial Fund for Historical Photographic Research. I began my research in spring at Yale University Library Palmquist Collection: Women in Photography.
I've written more on the topic here: Pictures and progress? Frederick Douglass and early Scottish photography: www.vam.ac.uk/blog/museum-...
In 1840s Scotland, both men sought out Burns’ younger sister, Isabella, and their encounters survive today: Hill’s calotype photograph of her is held at the National Galleries of Scotland, while Douglass’ recollections of meeting the poet’s sister are captured in the Frederick Douglass Papers.
But it was the national bard, Robert Burns, to whom he returned time and again throughout his life. Hill was similarly taken by the poet and illustrated the 1840 book 'The Land of Burns'.
Although Hill and Douglass almost certainly never met, they moved in similar circles and had interests in common. Douglass held Scotland, particularly its landscape and literature, in high regard – he famously named himself after a character in Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake.
Hard to imagine Robert Burns in proximity to the invention of photography. Yet here is his sister, Isabella, captured in her older age by the photographic partnership of Robert Adamson and David Octavius Hill.
Image: National Galleries of Scotland @nationalgalleries.bsky.social
You’re at the APS @amphilsociety.bsky.social? I just enjoyed a short research period there - enjoy!
More photography writers arriving all the time, welcome @justinmcarville.bsky.social
@klloyd.bsky.social
@kathrinyacavone.bsky.social
@miraanneli.bsky.social
@mrautzenberg.bsky.social
@fabianroe.bsky.social
Still more photography writers to follow:
@nathanjurgenson.bsky.social
@olgaasmith.bsky.social
@michellehenning.bsky.social
@carolinedouglas.bsky.social
@katerinakorola.bsky.social
Photograph of a painting of Joseph Priestley, a key figure in Fulhame's work.
Credit: American Philosophical Society. Gift of Mrs. Caspar Wistar, 28 March 1818.
This autumn I had the pleasure of being the Fedwa Malti-Douglas Fellow at the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, exploring the pre-photographic chemical networks of Elizabeth Fulhame. Thanks to all staff at @amphilsociety.bsky.social for their assistance in this research. More to follow!
Lol, just read this again. Got up at 5am today for a flight. 2016.
Fun! We went to this too-2026, I think? The perfect combination for us as I was there for Eggleston 😉