Part of Queens College, Oxford

William Henry Fox Talbot, a true pioneer of photography, captured this striking image, "Part of Queens College, Oxford," in 1843. This work is a salted paper print from a paper negative, a process Talbot himself invented and refined. He first announced his 'photogenic drawing' process in 1839, followed by the improved 'calotype' in 1841, which allowed for shorter exposure times and the creation of multiple positive prints from a single negative. Unlike the sharper daguerreotypes of the era, Talbot's paper negatives, even when waxed, produced images with a characteristic soft, slightly diffused quality due to the paper fibers. This particular photograph is part of a series of important early photographs Talbot made of Oxford, Paris, Reading, and York, demonstrating his commitment to photography as an artistic medium and its potential to document the world around him. This piece exemplifies his early architectural studies, a frequent subject alongside still lifes and botanical specimens, showcasing his meticulous approach to composition and light.