Artwork

Florence Elizabeth Maude, Cornwallis Hawarden, Clementina Maude and unidentified man, Togge House, Dundrum

Florence Elizabeth Maude, Cornwallis Hawarden, Clementina Maude and unidentified man, Togge House, Dundrum is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Clementina Hawarden. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This mid-19th-century photograph by Lady Hawarden captures a staged domestic scene at Togge House, Dundrum, featuring three of her children and an unidentified violinist.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a tableau with two barefoot children, possibly portraying gypsies, alongside their sibling and the musician, blending everyday family life with narrative storytelling.

Technique & Style

Characteristic of Lady Hawarden's approach, the photograph leverages the medium's realism to create a carefully composed, fictionalized scene, distinguishing her work from the more formal portraiture common in 1850s photography.

Context

Produced in the 1850s, the photograph reflects Hawarden's innovative use of photography to move beyond mere realism, instead embracing its potential for creative, staged narratives.

History & Provenance

The photograph is part of Lady Hawarden's body of work, now recognized for its pioneering approach to photographic storytelling, with notable holdings at institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artist & collection

Artist

Clementina Hawarden

Clementina Maude, Viscountess Hawarden, commonly known as Lady Clementina Hawarden, was a Scottish amateur portrait photographer of the Victorian era. She produced over 800 photographs mostly of her adolescent daughters.