The Herschel Album

Album containing 94 portrait photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron, dedicated to Sir John Herschel. Bound with wooden covers, front cover with carved bas-relief. Some prints were added at a later date. The Herschel Album consists of 94 albumen photographs, with a full contents list of titles. Most prints have a title and date handwritten by Cameron. She produced approximately a dozen bound albums which she presented as gifts to her friends and sisters.

Julia Margaret Cameron was a British photographer who is considered to be one of the most important portraitists of the 19th century. She is known for her soft-focus close-ups and for illustrative images depicting characters from mythology, Christianity, and literature. The mathematician, astronomer, chemist and inventor, Sir John Herschel was a close friend for many years who regularly corresponded with Cameron about photography. She presented him with this album of portraits with the handwritten dedication: 'To / Sir John F H Hershel / from his Friend / Julia Margaret Cameron / With a grateful / memory of 27 years / of friendship / Fresh Water Bay / Isle of Wight / Nov 26th 1864 / Sept 8th 1867 / completed & ... with renewed / devotedness of grateful friendship'