“Mrs. Cameron exhibits her series of out-of-focus portraits of celebrities. We must give this lady credit for daring originality, but at the expense of all other photographic qualities. A true artist would employ all the resources at his disposal, in whatever branch of art he might practice. In these pictures all that is good in photography has been neglected, and the shortcomings of the art are prominently exhibited. We are sorry to speak thus severely on the works of a lady, but we feel compelled to do so in the interests of art.”

Excerpt from a review of an 1864 exhibition of photographs, which included works by Julia Margaret Cameron. (Photographic Journal, 15 January 1865)

The patronizing early criticism contained in our quote went on for several years. A contemporary male photographer (a famous one) said, regarding Mrs. Cameron’s work: “It is not the mission of photography to produce smudges.”  Julia Margaret Cameron had famous friends and acquaintances. She had connections to the great intellectuals and artists of 19th century England; also diplomats, aristocrats and celebrities of the day. Photographers trashed her work, yet the high-born and educated came to her and had portraits made. My favorites are her pictures of Julia Jackson Duckworth (her niece), and the amazing image of Angelo Colarossi as Iago.

There are no luminaries walking Egyptian streets, only regular Arab folk. In fact their cities contain many people laboring under heavy burdens, like the two figures in these photographs. To me these solemn faces display sober gravity acquainted with tragedy. The people in Mrs. Cameron’s diffusely focused portraits project the same deep emotion.