England's Historic body successfully procures an extensive portfolio of 8,000 old landscape images from an early era.
In a recent development, Historic England (HE) has expanded its Early Photographic Print Collection with the addition of over 8,000 black-and-white images of early English landscape photography. This acquisition, which brings the total archive to over 22,000 items, includes photographs by renowned photographers James Mudd and Linnaeus Tripe.
The collection, which is of national significance, was amassed by photographic consultant Janette Rosing over her lifetime. The images provide invaluable visual records of England’s cultural and natural heritage, documenting historical landscapes and architecture. These valuable additions will help scholars, historians, and the public understand landscape changes, conservation needs, and the evolution of English rural and urban environments over time.
Annunciata Elwes, the director of contemporary art gallery TIN MAN ART and an award-winning journalist specialising in art, culture, and property, played a pivotal role in this acquisition. With her extensive background in journalism and festival organisation, she has co-founded a literary, art, and music festival in Oxfordshire. Prior to her current roles, she worked as the News & Property Editor for a platform and at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine.
In addition to her journalistic pursuits, Annunciata has also researched for a historical biographer. Her work has been recognised with numerous awards, and she now manages a contemporary art gallery in Hampshire, where she resides with her husband, two daughters, and a pug.
Ian Savage, HE's collections manager, has commented on the exceptional quality of Rosing's collection, stating that it significantly enhances the Early Photographic Print Collection of Historic England. The photographs have undergone a conservation assessment to ensure their preservation for future generations.
With hopes of cataloguing and digitising the entire collection, Historic England is currently seeking fundraising to make this project a reality. This initiative will not only make the collection more accessible to the public but also enable scholars and researchers to study these valuable images in greater depth.
As the national authority for the historic environment, Historic England plays a crucial role in protecting and promoting England’s historic places. Acquisitions like this one underscore the importance of their work in preserving our national heritage for future generations.
Annunciata Elwes, living with her family in Hampshire, has shown keen interest in both gardening and sustaining her home-and-garden lifestyle. As a result, she has contributed to the landscape of her property, cultivating areas that reflect her appreciation for the natural beauty of the region, much like the rural and urban environments captured in the Historic England Early Photographic Print Collection, which includes gardening scenes among its vast array of photographs.
In her efforts to enrich the public understanding of England's cultural heritage, Annunciata's pursuit of knowledge in various fields—including art, culture, and property, as well as her historical research—mirrors the mission of Historic England, which aims to not only preserve but also make accessible, through endeavors like the expansion of the Early Photographic Print Collection, visual records that depict the evolution of England's lifestyle over time.
