Saturday, March 14, 2020

Natal Photographers listed 1899: Lloyd





The Natal Almanac gives a list of photographers operating in Durban in 1899 - which means 1898 at least due to date of publication of Almanac. Ebenezer Edmund Caney is at 2  Winder Street but other Caneys are not shown - Benjamin William had died in 1895, others were working elsewhere. 

James Lloyd of 435 Smith Street had been running a successful studio since the late 1850s. The Natal Star of 8 December 1860 had advertised for sale a valuable camera, chemicals etc and 'a variety of photographs of Natal scenery, inhabitants and customs', all the property of James Lloyd. Presumably he was on the move. He was working in Durban again in 1871.



The 'Ross Type Miniatures' referred to above were traditional painted portraits by Sir William Charles Ross RA (3 June 1794 – 20 Jan 1860) an English portrait and portrait miniature painter of Scottish descent. With the introduction of the photographic art, the skill and time required to paint a portrait miniature fell away, and Lloyd was quick to capitalise on the new method.  However, it's doubtful whether the photographic miniatures could approach the artistic and beautiful examples painted by Ross.
Portrait miniature of Ross's sister Magdalena Dalton
c. 1835–40, Watercolour on ivory)
An exhibition of Lloyd's Anglo-Zulu War photographs was mounted at the centennial reappraisal conference held at the University of Natal, Durban, in 1979.



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