Background
Robert Adamson was born in St Andrews, one of ten children, and grew up in Burnside, the son of Alexander Adamson, a Fife farmer and his wife, Rachael Melville. He was born on April 26, 1821.
Robert Adamson was born in St Andrews, one of ten children, and grew up in Burnside, the son of Alexander Adamson, a Fife farmer and his wife, Rachael Melville. He was born on April 26, 1821.
Robert Adamson was educated at Madras College in St Andrews where he showed exceptional talents in mathematics and mechanics, twice winning the prize for mathematics. He became employed at an engineering shop from a young age, and apprenticed as a millwright for several months.
Robert Adamson was keen on becoming an engineer, but ill health led to him pursuing photography. He was taught calotype by his brother, John, and by the physicist David Brewster of the University of St Andrews in the late 1830s. As early as April 1839, Adamson's talents were recognized, and Fox Talbot, the inventor of the calotype, would call his pictures "Rembrandtish". Adamson's brother John, a general practitioner, lecturer, and curator of the University Museum, produced the first calotype in Scotland in 1841.
The young chemist, Adamson, established his photographic studio at Rock House, Calton Hill Stairs in Edinburgh, on 10 May 1843. In June, Brewster recommended Adamson to David Octavius Hill (1802-1870), a painter of romantic Scottish landscapes, who hired him; and they were commissioned in 1843 to make a group portrait of the 470 clergymen who founded the Free Church of Scotland. Hill had desired to make photographic portraits of the founders purely as reference material. This painting, however, would not be completed until 1866, long after his death.
The first studio specialising in calotypes in Edinburgh, Adamson's studio practice was said to have been "confidential to the point of secrecy". Hill required calotypes from which he would paint. Distinguished persons from many fields came to be photographed by the partners and within a few years they had taken the art scene by storm in Scotland. Together they made around 2500 portraits, some say 3000 or more, and numerous views of Edinburgh between 1843 and 1848, exhibiting in 1844, 1845 and 1846. Their prints were sold at the Princes Street gallery of Alexander Hill. After Hill and Adamson decided to publish their work, they purchased a specialised camera in 1844, but their plans to produce albums, paid by subscription, did not gain traction.
By mid-1847, the studio stopped production due to the failing health of Adamson. Thinking to recuperate amidst his family, Adamson returned to St. Andrews. He died on 14 January 1848, at the age of 26.
(Photographic Reproductions with annotations.)
Portrait of Two Men
(John Henning and Alexander Handyside Ritchie)
photography
Graham Fyvie, Robert Cadell and Robert Cunningham Graham Spiers
His Faither's Breeks
photography
photography
photography
photography
Miss Mary McCandlish
The Sleeping Flower-Gatherers
Agnes and Ellen Milne
1845Matilda Smith (nee Rigby)
Lady Ruthven
Newhaven Fishwives
photography
photography
photography
photography
photography
Jeanie Wilson and Annie Linton
1845Elizabeth Logan
photography
photography
photography
He had no children, wasn't married.