Discover how Victorians Put Themselves in the Picture at Aberdeen Treasure Hub
07 September 2017
A special free, drop-in event at Aberdeen Treasure Hub this September holiday Monday invites visitors to step back in time and discover a world before selfies. Put Yourself in the Picture explores the 19th century craze for collecting photographic portraits of friends, family and celebrities.
This is a rare opportunity for visitors to find out about Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums’ superb carte de visite photography collection. A carte de visite is a photograph measuring approximately 9 x 6 cm, mounted on a piece of card the size of a formal visiting card. This innovative format, patented in 1854, meant that photographs could be produced in large numbers at a relatively cheap price. Just as with the advent of the smart phone, this changed the way photos of friends, family and celebrities were collected and shared.
The day includes a number of informal talks and object handling session. Expert curators from Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums will be on hand to provide tips and advice on how to care for the treasures in your own family albums.
A highlight of the day will be the opportunity for visitors to have a professional photograph taken with family or friends, to help build a new carte de visite collection for the 21st century.
By 1860 thousands of cartes were being exchanged, collected and pasted into photograph albums. Queen Victoria was a huge fan and commercial photographers soon realised that there was a lucrative market for carte de visite portraits of well-known figures. Public demand for portraits Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was overwhelming - now anybody could own an image of the Queen and her family. They became a valuable commodity within the photographic market, as well as continuing to acquire photographs as eagerly as everyone else.
The day includes a number of informal talks and object handling session. Expert curators from Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums will be on hand to provide tips and advice on how to care for the treasures in your own family albums.
A highlight of the day will be the opportunity for visitors to have a professional photograph taken with family or friends, to help build a new carte de visite collection for the 21st century.
This is a free, drop-in event, but to assist with planning the photography sessions please register your interest by emailing info@aagm.co.uk
Put yourself in the picture
Monday 25 September
10am - 4pmFree, drop-in
ABERDEEN TREASURE HUB
Granitehill Road, Northfield, Aberdeen AB16 7AX