Opened 2 September 2009
First Shots: Early War Photography 1848-60 delves into the Museum’s photograph collection and showcases a selection of its earliest works by four war photography pioneers: John McCosh, Roger Fenton, James Robertson and Felice Beato.
Amongst the items on display will be some of the earliest war photographs in existence, produced by Bengal Army Surgeon John McCosh. An enthusiastic amateur, McCosh produced a remarkable series of photographs from the Second Sikh War (1848-49) and the Second Burma War (1852-53). They include many of the key figures from the campaigns, such as the battle-scarred British commander, General Sir Charles Napier, and Mul Raj, the sombre ruler of Multan, as well as remarkable shots of local peoples and many splendid architectural studies.
Captivating images of the Crimean War (1854-56) by Roger Fenton will also feature. These pictures constitute a remarkable record of the campaign and include the first pictures of ordinary soldiers in a theatre of war. Amongst Fenton’s pictures are scenes, such as ‘L’Entente Cordial’, showing British and French soldiers at ease and portraits of commanders such as ‘Council of War’ featuring Lord Raglan, Marshal Pélissier, Omar Pasha, the commanders of the British, French and Turkish forces respectively, seated round a table. It is now believed that these photographs were taken with the aim of boosting the public image of the war in Britain, making them the first example of photography used as political propaganda.
Further revealing images of the Crimean conflict will be on display in works by James Robertson. Focusing on impressive views of the Crimean scenery, they depict the epic landscape in which the drama of conflict was played out. Robertson’s work also includes images of the captured defences of the Russian naval base of Sevastopol. They are a graphic illustration of the ferocity of the fighting that took place there.
Felice Beato was another important pioneer of war photography. His groundbreaking images of the aftermath of the bloody Indian Mutiny (1857-59) include some of the first ever shots of human corpses and skeletal remains. His later images of the Anglo-French 1860 attack on China pushed the boundaries even further. For the first time, they document a battle as it unfolded and include shots of the full horror of the corpse-strewn interior of a Chinese fort.
Supported by early photographic equipment, First Shots provides a fascinating insight into the origins of what has become one of the most powerful journalistic mediums.
Visitors may find some images in this exhibition disturbing.
View the online exhibition here
