Dryburgh Abbey, Sir Walter Scott's Tomb
Francis Frith
British, 1822–1898
c. 1860
A mid-19th-century albumen silver photograph by Francis Frith that records and romanticizes the weathered Gothic ruins of Dryburgh Abbey, linked in popular memory to Sir Walter Scott.
What hits you first is the cathedral-like rhythm of hollow arches and worn stone set against encroaching trees, the scene made quietly human by a lone seated figure, turning the ruin into a sunlit, melancholic stage of memory.
An example of early architectural photography that made images of national heritage widely accessible, shaping Victorian ideas of the picturesque and helping preserve visual records of historic sites for a growing public audience.
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
6 1/4 × 8" (15.9 × 20.3 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Anonymous gift
Accession
648.1976
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
