The Morning After "He Greatly Daring Dined"

Art Historical Context

Step into the dawn of photography with *The Morning After "Hely Daring Dined (1843–47), a salted paper print from a paper negative by the visionary Scottish partnership of David Octavius Hill and Robertson. Measuring a intimate 19.7 x 14.6 cm, this work captures the calotype process at its poetic peak—a technique using paper negatives that allowed for subtle tonal gradations and artistic manipulation, predating modern film by over a century. Hill, a painter, and Adamson, a chemistry-savvy photographer, collaborated from 1843 to 1848, producing over 2,500 images that elevated photography from mere documentation to fine art. Their salted paper prints, with their soft, painterly quality, often depicted portraits, landscapes, and architectural scenes tied to Scotland's cultural upheavals, like the 1843 Disruption of the Church of Scotland. Here, the evocative title—echoing a bold literary or proverbial feast—hints at a humorous tableau of men, possibly evoking sculptural forms in repose, blending classical motifs with everyday wit. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this piece showcases early photography's cultural pivot: from scientific novelty to expressive medium. Its tags of "Sculpture" and "Men" suggest a nod to sculptural inspiration, inviting viewers to ponder the morning's quiet regrets amid 19th-century innovation. A charming relic of daring creativity! (198 words)

About the Artist

David Octavius Hill|Robert Adamson|Hill and Adamson · 1802–1870

David Octavius Hill (1802–1870) was a Scottish painter, photographer, and arts administrator whose pioneering photography partnership with Robert Adamson from 1843 to 1847 transformed the medium into an art form. Born in Perth and trained in Edinburgh, Hill established himself as a landscape painter and became secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy, a position he held for nearly forty years. His ...