Portrait of Alexander Hope Pattison - Thomas Annan

A nineteenth-century carbon print by Thomas Annan, documenting a formal portrait of Alexander Hope Pattison.

This photographic reproduction captures a portrait of Alexander Hope Pattison, a work originally executed in a traditional painting medium. Thomas Annan, a Scottish photographer active in the mid-nineteenth century, produced this image as part of his documentation of historical figures and art collections. The print demonstrates the technical precision Annan applied to the carbon process, a method favoured during the period for its stability and tonal range.

The image presents a formal likeness, typical of the portraiture conventions of the era. The subject is rendered with clear attention to the textures of his military attire, including the epaulettes and decorative medals that signify his rank and service. Annan’s work often involved the systematic recording of paintings held in private Scottish collections, providing a bridge between the fine art of the past and the emerging medium of photography. By translating the painterly qualities of the original portrait into a monochrome photographic format, Annan preserved the visual record of the sitter for a wider audience.

This print is presented here as a reproduction of the original photographic plate found within a bound volume. The composition remains faithful to the original portrait, focusing on the sitter's features and the specific details of his uniform. The monochromatic palette allows for a focus on the interplay of light and shadow across the face and the fabric of the clothing. As a document of nineteenth-century Scottish history, this piece offers insight into the intersection of portrait painting and early photographic reproduction techniques. It serves as a record of both the sitter and the archival practices of Thomas Annan, whose work remains a primary source for the study of Victorian-era portraiture and the history of photography in Scotland.