Talbot Photo 7(3)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Plate 15 of a partially bound copy of the third installment of 'The Pencil of Nature', published between the 14 and 29 May 1845. A view of the south façade of the building, from across the Avon River, with the Sharington tower reflected in the water. Paper trimmed to size of image.

The text that accompanies the plate reads, 'One of a series of views representing the Author's country seat in Wiltshire. It is a religious structure of great antiquity, erected early in the thirteenth century, many parts of which are still remaining in excellent preservation. This plate gives a distant view of the Abbey, which is seen reflected in the waters of the river Avon. The spectator is looking to the North West. The tower which occupies the South-eastern corner of the building is believed to be of Queen Elizabeth's time, but the lower portion of it is much older, and coeval with the first foundation of the abbey. In my first account of "The Art of Photogenic Drawing", read to the Royal Society in January, 1839, I mentioned this building as being the first "that was ever yet known to have drawn its own picture." It was in the summer of 1835 that these curious self-representations were first obtained. Their size was very small: and the shortest time of making them was nine or ten minutes.'