[Trees]

Art Historical Context

Thomas Keith's *Trees* (1854–57), a paper print from a paper, captures the serene beauty of a wooded landscape with elegant simplicity. Measuring about 30 x 22 cm on its mount, this early photograph hails from the pioneering days of the medium, now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection. Scottish photographer Thomas Keith, active in Edinburgh during the 1850s, was a master of the calotype—using paper negatives that allowed for subtle textures and rich tonal gradations, distinguishing it from sharper later techniques. Created at a time when photography was still an experi...