Untitled 1849 - 1860

Hugh Welch Diamond created this photographic study of a patient at the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum, likely in the 1850s, using the collodion process on paper. This technique involved coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it in a camera, and then developing it to create a negative. From this negative, multiple prints like these could be made. The albumen print, made using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper, gives the images their warm, sepia tone and smooth surface. The choice of photography, a relatively new medium at the time, reflects a desire for scientific objectivity and documentation. Photography was seen as a tool for classifying and understanding mental illness, however, it's important to acknowledge the power dynamics at play. The process transforms the woman into an object of study, raising ethical questions about the relationship between the photographer, the patient, and the asylum. By considering the materials and context of its creation, we gain a richer understanding of this artwork as both a historical document and a complex representation of humanity.