[Stag Shot by Mrs. Ross] 1857

This albumen silver print was made by Horatio Ross, a Scottish sportsman and photographer active in the mid-nineteenth century. The image depicts a dead stag, presumably after a hunt. The photograph’s meaning extends beyond a simple record of a successful hunt. The Victorian era saw a rise in recreational hunting among the upper classes. This activity was associated with notions of masculinity, land ownership, and the romantic idealization of nature. The image subtly highlights the power dynamics inherent in this relationship between humans and the natural world. The presence of the shooting stand, suggests human intervention and control over nature, which also reflected the imperial ambitions of the British Empire at the time. Understanding this work requires an investigation into the cultural and economic context of Victorian Britain. Scholarly resources such as social histories of sport, gender studies, and postcolonial theory can shed light on its complex layers of meaning. Only then can we fully appreciate the social and institutional narratives embedded in this seemingly straightforward image.