ALBUM OF EARLY WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHER SAVED FOR THE NATION

A precious album by one of the world's first female photographers has been saved for the nation and purchased by The National Library of Wales.

The photographer, Mary Dillwyn, was one of a circle of early photographers living in Swansea involved in pioneering the scientific development of photographic processes. However, this album, which contains 42 salt and one albumen prints taken during the 1840s and early 1850s, demonstrates the early use of photography as an art form. Instead of the stiff formal portraits associated with this period, there is an intimate spontaneity in the photographs of individuals and groups. The album also contains two photographs of a snowman being built at the family home in Penlle'r-gaer (perhaps the first photographs of a snowman ever taken) and of chickens and pigeons. In addition there are seventeen flower studies.

Mary Dillwyn (1816-1906) was the daughter of Lewis Weston Dillwyn, a prominent Swansea industrialist. The family was related through marriage to William Henry Fox Talbot, who announced the discovery of photography in 1839. The Dillwyns and another Swansea resident, Calvert Jones (who took the first dated photograph in Wales, also owned by the National Library) were inspired by this new process.
Mary Dillwyn used a small camera which, since it only needed short exposures, provided her with the opportunity of taking more spontaneous photographs, often reflecting the warmth of Victorian family life. It also allowed her to photograph chickens and other animals which were unlikely to stay still for more than a fleeting moment.

Mary Dillwyn's pretty little album is testimony to the early development of an aesthetic application to a new scientific and technical process and reflects the significant contribution of Wales to the pioneering of photography.

The album was a gift to Mary Dillwyn's disabled niece, Susan Franklen, remained in the family's possession until its sale at Christie's in May 2002 to an American dealer. Following a succesful application by The National Library of Wales to prevent the granting of an export licence funds were raised to acquire the album thanks to generous assistance from the National Art Collections Fund, the Friends of The National Libraries, and the Library's own Friends organisation.

Gwyn Jenkins, Director of Collection Services at the National Library of Wales said: "The National Library is delighted to have acquired this wonderful album of early photographs and is grateful for the support given to it by several organisations who contributed funding towards its purchase. It will be a fine addition to our national collection of over a million photographs dating from the dawn of photography to the new digital age."

The album will be placed on display in The National Library at Aberystwyth, once conservation work on it has been completed. Further research will be undertaken into the provenance of the album and into the subjects of the photographs. In due course also, digital images from the album will be mounted on the Library's website.For further information, please contact:
Siôn Jobbins, Press Officer NLW: 01970 632902 sij@llgc.org.uk
Iwan M. Jones, Head of Collection Care Section NLW: 01970 632846 imj@llgc.org.uk

The National Library of Wales purchased the Mary Dillwyn album for £48,225 with financial contribution from three sources as shown below:
£9,165 The National Art Collections Fund
£5,000 Friends of the National Libraries
£5,000 Friends of the National Library of Wales